William Wade Ellis was an artist, a naturalist, and a surgeon's mate on Captain James Cook's voyages. His middle name was wrongly identified as Webb in some sources. He is known largely from the paintings of natural history subjects that he made during Captain Cook's voyages. Ellis was baptized on 11 June 1751 at Ely Cathedral, born to Thomas, canon at Ely Cathedral, and Elizabeth. A brother of Ellis' became a vicar at Melbourn, Cambridgeshire.