Pauwels is a Flemish patronymic surname derived from the personal name Pauwel, a vernacular form of Paul. Notable people with the name include:

Surname

• Eddy Pauwels (1935–2017), Belgian racing cyclist
• Emiel Pauwels (1918–2014), Belgian track and field athlete
• Emmanuel Pauwels (1903–?), Belgian competitive sailor
• Ferdinand Pauwels (1830–1904), Belgian history painter in Germany
• Fleur Pauwels (born 2003), Belgian footballer
• Frans Pauwels (1918–2001), Dutch racing cyclist
• Friedrich Pauwels (1885–1980), German (Aachen) orthopedist known for Pauwel's angle
• Isabelle Pauwels (born 1950), Belgian-born Canadian video artist
• Ivo Pauwels (born 1950), Belgian author
• Jeanne-Catherine Pauwels (1795–1889), Belgian musician
• José Pauwels (1928–2012), Belgian racing cyclist
• Katrien Pauwels (born 1965), Belgian figure skater
• Kevin Pauwels (born 1984), Belgian racing cyclist
• Louis Pauwels (1920–1997), Belgian-French journalist and writer
• Luc Pauwels (born 1940), Belgian political scientist
• Marie-Claire Pauwels (1945–2011), French journalist
• Megan Pauwels (born 1976), Australian cricketer
• Peter-Frans Pauwels (born 1965), Dutch entrepreneur
• Rudi Pauwels (born 1960), Belgian pharmacologist
• Sabine Pauwels (born 1966), Belgian swimmer
• Serge Pauwels (born 1983), Belgian road bicycle racer
• Thierry Pauwels (born 1957), Belgian astronomer
  • 12761 Pauwels, main belt asteroid named after him

Given name

• Pauwels Franck (c.1540–1596), Flemish landscape painter
• Pauwels van Hillegaert (1596–1640), Dutch painter