Robert Dinwiddie, Scottish merchant and politician, Colonial Governor of Virginia (born 1693)

Robert Dinwiddie was a Scottish colonial administrator who served as the lieutenant governor of Virginia from 1751 to 1758. Since the governors of Virginia remained in Great Britain, he served as the de facto head of the colony of Virginia. Dinwiddie is credited for starting the military career of George Washington.

Some of those who held the lead role as governor of Virginia never visited the New World and governed through deputies resident in the colony. Others, such as Thomas West, 3rd Baron De La Warr, held the lead role for many years but were in Virginia for only a short portion of that time and usually delegated responsibilities to others. Probably for those reasons, in many historical documents and references, the deputies and lieutenant governors who had the primary responsibility in Virginia are also often titled simply "governor." Also, transportation from England routinely took several months and occasionally, much longer. Thus, dates may appear to overlap.