Sir Thomas Edward Gordon KCIE KCB CSI (12 January 1832 – 23 March 1914) was a Scottish soldier, diplomat, and traveller.

[1] He and his twin brother, Sir John James Hood Gordon, were the youngest children in a family of four sons and a daughter.

[2]: 1–3 Alongside his twin brother, Thomas entered the British Army, joining the 29th (Worcestershire) Regiment of Foot on 21 August 1849.

During his visits to Persia Gordon decided to publish an account of his journey with the intention of displaying, through his observations and illustrations, evidence of the "progress and improvement" he found.

They had four daughters, Helen Elizabeth (1863–1942), Alexa Anna (9 January 1867 – 18 November 1867), Jeanetta (1876–1963), and Violet Mary (1878–1972), and a son who died in childhood, Thomas William Gordon (1868–1876).