James Burnett or Burnet may refer to:
James Burnett, Lord Monboddo (1714–1799), Scottish judge, scholar of linguistic evolution, philosopher and deist James Charles Burnett (1815–1854), surveyor and explorer in New South Wales, Australia Sir James Burnett, 13th Baronet (1880–1953), British Army officer James Burnett (rugby union) (born 1947), Scottish rugby union player James K. Burnett (1862–1948), California politician James M. Burnet (1788–1816), Scottish painter