Sir John Wolstenholme (1562 – 25 November 1639) was an English financier and merchant-adventurer.

The son at an early age became one of the richest merchants in London, and during the last half of his life took a prominent part in the extension of English commerce, in colonisation, and in maritime discovery.

In December 1600, he was one of the incorporators of the East India Company; in 1609 he was a member of council for the Virginia Company; he took a lively interest in the attempts to discover a Northwest Passage; was one of those who fitted out the expeditions of Henry Hudson (died 1611) (who named Cape Wolstenholme after him) in 1610; of (Sir) Thomas Button in 1612, of Robert Bylot and William Baffin in 1615 (when his name was given to Wolstenholme Island and Wolstenholme Sound), and of Luke Fox in 1631.

Together with Sir Thomas Smith (Smythe) (c. 1558–1625) he engaged Edward Wright (c. 1558–1615) to give lectures on navigation.

[2] Wolstenholme died on 25 November 1639, and was buried in Great Stanmore church, where there is a handsome monument to his memory by Nicholas Stone.