John Anderson Gilfillan (19 September 1821 – 1 February 1875) was a member of the New Zealand Legislative Council. Gilfillan was born in Torry in Torryburn, Fifeshire, Scotland in 1821. He was educated at the Grammar School at Cullen in Banffshire. He moved to Liverpool in November 1837 to join a firm of merchants. After a year, he was promoted to the firm's head office in London. After his health deteriorated through lung disease, he moved back to Scotland in 1845. After his health did not recover, he sought advice from Sir James Clark, 1st Baronet, the Queen Victoria's physician, who recommended a change in climate and relocation to either Egypt or New Zealand. Towards the end of 1846, he left for New Zealand on the Victoria. After a short period in Wellington, he briefly returned to Eng