Thomas Burns (10 April 1796 – 23 January 1871)[1] was a prominent Scottish early European settler and religious leader of the province of Otago in New Zealand.

In his childhood Thomas attended Haddington Grammar School (where Edward Irving was his teacher) and then the University of Edinburgh, where he studied theology.

He was employed as a tutor in the family of Sir Hew Dalrymple, of North Berwick before being was ordained as minister of the parish of Ballantrae on 13 April 1826.

[2] With his family, he joined at Greenock the Philip Laing, under the command of Captain Andrew Elles, which, with the John Wickliff, appointed to sail from London, had been chartered to convey the first emigrants to Otago.

A monument to his memory has been erected in Dunedin, not far from the spot where one of his illustrious uncle Robert Burns has stood for some years past.

Whilst Captain Cargill was the lay organiser and ruler of the Otago settlement, the late Dr. Burns was its spiritual guide and adviser.

The Association, with the utmost unanimity, fixed on Captain Cargill to be the Moses and Dr. Burns to be the Aaron of the enterprise, as Dr. Stuart phrased it.

It is well known that Sir William Chambers was one of those who directed attention to Dr. Burns as in all respects suitable for the office of pioneer minister.

The doctor devoted much time to the advocacy of the scheme, and in his speeches he gave prominence to its objects—the settlement of the people on their own acres and the planting of church and school within their reach.

[3] He married 4 January 1830, Clementina (died 19 July 1878), daughter of James Francis Grant, rector of Merston, Sussex, and niece of John Steel Outerson, and had issue—