Mariya Aleksandrovna Volkova (1786-1859) - vypusknitsa Smol'nogo instituta, moskovskaya velikosvetskaya dama. Ee pis'ma k peterburgskoy podruge i rodstvennitse Varvare Aleksandrovne Lanskoy zanimayut vidnoe mesto v otechestvennoy epistolyarnoy literature.
Pis'ma Volkovoy byli v rukah L'va Tolstogo, kogda on zadumal roman "Voyna i mir", i poslujili emu materialom dlya izucheniya lyudey 1812 goda. V rannih redaktsiyah romana pis'ma Marii Bolkonskoy k Jyuli Karaginoy pochti doslovno povtoryayut pis'ma Volkovoy k Lanskoy.