William Barton (April 11, 1754 – October 21, 1817) was a Pennsylvania lawyer, scholar, and the designer (with Charles Thomson) of the Great Seal of the United States.

In May 1782, Barton, who had a reputation for his knowledge of heraldry, was consulted by the Third Great Seal Committee to contribute to the design of a national coat-of-arms for the United States.

He drafted what he called Device for an Armorial Achievement for the United States of North America, blazoned agreeably to the Laws of Heraldry.

He introduced an eagle with wings "displayed," an element that Secretary of the Continental Congress Charles Thomson greatly emphasized in the final proposal.

This combined the influence of Pierre Eugene du Simitiere, who had included the Eye of Providence in his designs for the First Great Seal Committee, with that of Francis Hopkinson, who had consulted for the Second Great Seal Committee, and who had included a similar pyramid in his 1778 design for the Continental Currency.

By 1798, William moved back to Lancaster, and ran in Pennsylvania's 7th congressional district that year as the Democratic-Republican nominee, overwhelmingly losing to incumbent John W.

[2] In 1802, he published a lengthy treatise entitled A Dissertation on the Freedom of Navigation and Maritime Commerce, and such Rights of States Relative Thereto, as are founded on the Law of Nations.