George Washington Greene (April 8, 1811 - February 2, 1883), United States historian, was born at East Greenwich, Rhode Island, the grandson of Major-General Nathanael Greene.

He entered Brown University in 1824, left in his junior year on account of ill-health, was in Europe during the next twenty years, except in 1833-1834, when he was principal of Kent Academy at East Greenwich, and was the United States consul at Rome from 1837 to 1845.

He was instructor in modern languages in Brown University from 1848 to 1852; and in 1871-1875 was non-resident lecturer in American history in Cornell University. He died at East Greenwich, Rhode Island, on the 2nd of February 1883.

His published works include:

• French and Italian text-books; Historical Studies (1850)
• Biographical Studies (1860)
• Historical View of the American Revolution (1865)
• Life of Nathanael Greene (3 vols, 1867-1871)
• The German Element in the War of American Independence (1876)
• Short History of Rhode Island (1877).