Sir William Robert Mends, GCB (27 February 1812 – 26 June 1897), was a British admiral of the Royal Navy, eldest son of Admiral and nephew of Captain Robert Mends. William Mends was born at Plymouth into a naval family. He married Melita, third daughter of Dr Joseph Stilon M.D. R.N. on 6 January 1839. The doctor was born Giueseppe Maria Joseph Stilon, a native of Calabria and a Royal Naval surgeon in Malta.