George Swett Appleton (1821–1878) was an American publisher, the third son of Daniel Appleton. He was born in Andover, Massachusetts, studied in Leipzig, and for a number of years was a publisher and a book seller in Philadelphia. Employees included Joseph Sabin.
He married Caroline Osgood of Salem, Massachusetts. Together they had two daughters and three sons.
In 1865, George moved his family to New York and became a partner with his three brothers, John, William, and Sidney in his father's publishing business, D. Appleton & Company. He was a scholar and art connoisseur, and acted as the literary adviser to the firm. Appletons' Art Journal and the Popular Science Monthly were planned by him. He was also responsible for the Picturesque America volumes.