This surname has two distinct and separate origins:
From Europe:
As a patronymic surname based on Christian religious naming traditions mainly related to Paul the Apostle.
From the Indian Subcontinent:
Traditionally believed that 'Pal' originated from the Sanskrit pala meaning protector or keeper. Many families
subsequently anglicized their surnames.
Paul is the surname of:
- Aaron Paul (born 1979), American actor
- Adrian Paul (born 1959), English actor
- Angad Paul (1970–2015), British-Indian businessman and film producer
- Aislinn Paul (born 1994), Canadian actress
- Alexandra Paul (born 1963), American actress
- Alexandra Paul (figure skater) (1991–2023), Canadian figure skater
- Alice Paul (1885–1977), American suffragist leader, feminist and women's rights activist
- Aloke Paul (born 1973), Indian scientist
- Amala Paul (born 1991), Indian film actress in Tamil and Malayalam cinema
- Andrus Paul (born 1975), Estonian luger
- Anindita Paul (born 1979), Indian singer
- Annamie Paul (born 1972), Canadian politician, activist and lawyer, sister of Ngozi Paul
- Art Paul (1925–2018), American graphic designer
- Aubrey Dean Paul (1869–1961) English baronet and Army captain
- Beena Paul (born 1961), Indian film editor in Malayalam
- Brandon Paul (born 1991), American basketball player
- Brian Dean Paul (1904–1972), English baronet
- Brenda Dean Paul (1907–1959), English silent film actress, socialite
- Bruno Paul (1874–1968), German architect, interior designer, and furniture designer
- Butch Paul (1943–1966), Canadian ice hockey player
- Chris Paul (born 1985), American basketball player
- Chris Paul (American football) (born 1998), American football player
- Christi Paul, American news anchor for CNN Headline News
- Daniel Paul (1943–2023), French Politician
- Daniel N. Paul (1938–2023), Canadian Miꞌkmaq elder, author, columnist, and human rights activist
- David L. Paul (1939–2022), American banker and real estate developer
- Don Paul (defensive back) (1926–2001), American football player
- Don Paul (linebacker) (1925–2014), American football player
- Don Michael Paul (born 1963), American movie director
- Doreen Paul (born 1962), Dominican banker and politician
- Ellis Paul (born 1965), American singer-songwriter and folk musician
- Frank R. Paul (1884-1963) American-Austrian science fiction author, illustrated first The War of the Worlds publication
- Gregory S. Paul (born 1954), American paleontological researcher and writer
- George Paul (1746-1820), English baronet, prison reformer and philanthropist
- Hamilton Paul (1773–1854), Scottish Presbyterian minister and writer
- Harry Paul (1886–1948), Scottish footballer
- Helmut Paul (1921–1941), German Maschinengefreiter served on German battleship Bismarck during World War II when it was sunk[1]
- Henri Paul, French deputy head of security at Hotel Ritz Paris and driver of the car in which he, Princess Diana, and Dodi Fayed were killed
- Herieth Paul, Tanzanian-Canadian fashion model
- Jacob Paul (born 1995), British hurdler
- Jai Paul, British recording artist
- Jake Paul (born 1997), American boxer
- Jay Paul, American billionaire Silicon Valley real estate investor
- James Balfour Paul (1846–1931), the Lord Lyon King of Arms, the officer responsible for heraldry in Scotland
- Jayson Paul (born 1984), birth name of JTG, American professional wrestler
- Jean Baptiste Paul (1896–1966), Canadian First Nations wrestler
- Jean Paul (cricketer) (born 1985), West Indian cricketer
- Jeff Paul (born 1978), Canadian ice hockey player
- John Paul (disambiguation), several people
- John Dean Paul, (1775-1852), English banker and landowner, Baronet
- Josefine Paul (born 1982), German politician
- Joseph Paul (1804–1887), English landscape painter, Norwich
- Josh Paul (born 1975), American baseball player and coach
- Joyce Paul (1937–2016), American country music singer
- Keitumetse Paul (1973–2021), Botswanan footballer
- Leah Paul (born 1999), Irish cricketer
- Lee Paul (1939–2019), American film and television actor
- Les Paul (1915–2009), American guitarist
- Lewis Paul (died 1759), English Huguenot, inventor of roller spinning,
- Logan Paul (born 1995), American actor and Internet personality
- Lynsey de Paul, (1948–2014), English singer-songwriter
- Manish Paul (born 1981), Indian actor, comedian, anchor, TV show host
- Markus Paul (1966–2020), American football coach and player
- Martin Paul (1918–1941), German Steuermannsmaat aboard German Battleship Bismarck in World War II when it was sunk[2]
- Matthias Paul (actor) (born 1964), German actor
- Matthias Paul (DJ) (born 1971), German DJ, producer and musician known as Paul van Dyk
- Maanu Paul (1938–2022), New Zealand Māori leader
- Mihai Paul (born 1982), Romanian basketball player
- Mike Paul (born 1945), American baseball player
- Ngozi Paul, Canadian screen actress, writer, director and producer; younger sister of Annamie Paul
- Nick Paul (born 1995), Canadian ice hockey player
- Nigel Paul (1933–2022), English cricketer
- Patrick Paul (born 2001), American football player
- Peter Paul (disambiguation), several people
- Rand Paul (born 1963), American ophthalmologist and politician
- Richard Paul (actor) (1940–1998), American actor
- Reagan Paul, American politician
- Ron Paul (born 1935), American physician and US Representative; father of Rand
- Rusty Paul (born 1952), American politician and the 2nd Mayor of Sandy Springs, Georgia
- Saju Paul (born 1966), Indian politician
- Shermar Paul (born 1997), Canadian rapper, songwriter and record producer known professionally as Night Lovell
- Satya Paul (fl. 1985–?), Indian fashion designer
- Sean Paul (born 1973), Jamaican deejay, singer, and rapper
- Sohini Paul (born 1986), Bengali actress, daughter of Tapas Paul
- Swraj Paul, Baron Paul, (born 1931) British-Indian Business Magnate
- Tamatha Paul (born 1997), Mayor of Wellington, New Zealand
- Tapas Paul (1958–2020), Indian Bengali actor and politician
- Thomas Paul (disambiguation) several people
- Tom Paul (politician) (1874–1964), New Zealand compositor, trade unionist, politician, editor, journalist and censor
- Tom Paul (footballer) (1933–2015), English footballer
- Tommy Paul (boxer) (1909–1991), American boxer
- Tommy Paul (tennis) (born 1997), American tennis player
- Vincent de Paul (1581–1660), French Catholic priest and saint
- William Paul (minister) (1754–1802), Chaplain in Ordinary to King George III
- Willie Paul (footballer) (1866–1911), Scottish footballer
- Xavier Paul (born 1985), American baseball player