The Governor of Hawaiʻi was the royal governor or viceroy of the Island of Hawaiʻi during the Kingdom of Hawaii. The Governor of Hawaii was usually a Hawaiian chief or prince and could even be a woman. There were no restriction of women in government in the House of Nobles or Governship of the islands. The Governor had authority over the island of Hawaii the biggest island in the kingdom and it was up to the governor to appoint lieutanant governors to assisted them. The governor had replaced the old alii aimokus of the islands, but sovereignty remained with the king.
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In the 1840 Constitution of the Kingdom of Hawaii it states:
There shall be four governors over these Hawaiian Islands - one for Hawaiʻi - one for Maui and the Islands adjacent - one for Oʻahu, and one for Kauaʻi and the adjacent Islands. All the governors, from Hawaiʻi to Kauaʻi shall be subject to the King. The prerogatives of the governors and their duties, shall be as follows: Each governor shall have the general direction of the several tax gatherers of his island, and shall support them in the execution of all their orders which he considers to have been properly given, but shall pursue a course according to law, and not according to his own private views. He also shall preside over all the judges of his island, and shall see their sentences executed as above. He shall also appoint the judges and give them their certificates of office. All the governors, from Hawaiʻi to Kauaʻi shall be subject not only to the King, but also to the Premier. The governor shall be the superior over his particular island or islands. He shall have charge of the munitions of war, under the direction of the King, however, and the Premier. He shall have charge of the forts, the soldiery, the arms and all the implements of war. He shall receive the government dues and shall deliver over the same to the Premier. All important decisions rest with him in times of emergency, unless the King or Premier be present. He shall have charge of all the King's business on the island, the taxation, new improvements to be extended, and plans for the increase of wealth, and all officers shall be subject to him. He shall also have power to decide all questions, and transact all island business which is not by law assigned to others. When either of the governors shall decease, then all the chiefs shall assemble at such place as the King shall appoint, and shall nominate a successor of the deceased governor, and whosoever they shall nominate and be approved by the King, he shall be the new governor.
| # | Name | Picture | Birth | Death | Assumed Office | Left Office | Years in office | Notes | Monarch |
| Direct Rule by King Kamehameha I. | |||||||||
| 1 | Mokuhia | Appointed but assassinated soon after | Kamehameha I | ||||||
| 2 | John Young ʻOlohana | circa 1742 | December 17, 1835 | circa 1802 | circa 1812 | 10 | Kamehameha I | ||
| Direct Rule by King Kamehameha I, later Queen Kaahumanu and King Kamehameha II. | |||||||||
| 3 | John Adams Kiiapalaoku Kuakini | circa 1789 | December 9, 1844 | circa 1820 | April 1, 1831 | 11 | Kamehameha III | ||
| Kamehameha II | |||||||||
| 4 | Naihe | ? | December 29, 1831 | April 1, 1831 | December 29, 1831 | 8 months | acting | Kamehameha III | |
| 5 | John Adams Kiiapalaoku Kuakini | circa 1789 | December 9, 1844 | circa 1833? | December 9, 1844 | 11 | second time | Kamehameha III | |
| 6 | William Pitt Leleiohoku I | March 31, 1821 | October 21, 1848 | December 9, 1844 | circa 1846 | 2 | Kamehameha III | ||
| 7 | George Luther Kapeau | ? | ? | circa 1846 | circa 1855 | 9 | acting until July 1850 | Kamehameha III | |
| 8 | Ruth Keʻelikōlani | February 9, 1826 | May 24, 1883 | January 15, 1855 | circa 1874 | 19 | Lt. Governor was Rufus Anderson Lyman | Kamehameha IV | |
| Kamehameha V | |||||||||
| Lunalilo | |||||||||
| 9 | Samuel Kipi | ? | circa 1879 | March 2, 1874 | March 29, 1879 | 5 | Kalākaua | ||
| 10 | Miriam Kapili Kekāuluohi Likelike | January 13, 1851 | February 2, 1887 | March 29, 1879 | circa 1880 | 1 | Kalākaua | ||
| 11 | Victoria Kūhiō Kinoiki Kekaulike II | May 12, 1843 | January 18, 1884 | September 2, 1880 | January 8, 1884 | 4 | Kalākaua | ||
| 12 | Virginia Kapoʻoloku Poʻomaikelani | April 7, 1839 | October 22, 1895 | January 21, 1884 | circa 1886 | 2 | Kalākaua | ||
| 13 | Ululani Lewai Baker | circa 1858 | circa 1902 | October 15, 1886 | circa 1888 | 2 | Kalākaua | ||
| 14 | John Tamatoa Baker | circa 1852 | September 7, 1921 | February 8, 1892 | February 28, 1893 | husband of Governor Ululani Baker | Liliuokalani | ||