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.

• 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
• Andrus Paul (born 1975), Estonian luger
• 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
• 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
• 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
• 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
• Nanette B. Paul (1866-1928), American legal scholar, lawyer, suffragist, author, instructor, lecturer
• 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
• Pamela Paul (born 1971), American journalist and author
• 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
• Shermar Paul (born 1997), Canadian rapper, songwriter and record producer known professionally as Night Lovell
• Sean Paul (born 1973), Jamaican deejay, singer, and rapper
• Tamatha Paul (born 1997), Mayor of Wellington, New Zealand
• 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

• Aloke Paul (born 1973), Indian scientist
• Amala Paul (born 1991), Indian film actress in Tamil and Malayalam cinema
• Anindita Paul (born 1979), Indian singer
• Beena Paul (born 1961), Indian film editor in Malayalam
• Manish Paul (born 1981), Indian actor, comedian, anchor, TV show host
• Saju Paul (born 1966), Indian politician
• Satya Paul (fl. 1985–?), Indian fashion designer
• Sohini Paul (born 1986), Bengali actress, daughter of Tapas Paul
• Swraj Paul, Baron Paul, (born 1931) British-Indian Business Magnate
• Tapas Paul (1958–2020), Indian Bengali actor and politician

• Paul (given name)
• Paul (disambiguation)
• Paul baronets
• Paulville, a town in Texas USA
• Boulton Paul Aircraft
• McPhail, a surname
• MacPhail, a surname
• Clan MacPhail, the Sons of Paul, a Scottish Highland Clan
• Jay Paul Company, real estate development company based in Northern California
• Paul the Apostle
• Pal (surname), a common surname in India and Bangladesh