Kunkel is a surname, also spelled Künkel, for Slovak women Kunkelová. Notable people with the surname include:

Politics

• George Kunkel (1893–1965), American lawyer and politician from Pennsylvania
• Jacob Michael Kunkel (1822–1870), US Congressman from Maryland
• John C. Kunkel (1898–1970), US Congressman from Pennsylvania
• John Christian Kunkel (1816–1870), US Congressman from Pennsylvania

Science

• Fritz Künkel (1889–1956), German-American psychoanalyst
• Henry Kunkel (1916–1983), American immunologist
• Johann von Löwenstern-Kunckel (1630–1703), German chemist
• Louis M. Kunkel (born 1949), American geneticist
• Louis Otto Kunkel (1884–1960), American botanist

Sports

• Adam Kunkel (born 1981), Canadian hurdler
• Anna Kunkel (1932–2006), American baseball player
• Bill Kunkel (baseball) (1936–1985), American baseball pitcher and umpire
• Jeff Kunkel (born 1961), American baseball shortstop
• Karl-Heinz Kunkel (1926–1994), German footballer
• Kristina Kunkel (born 1984), American water polo player
• Monika Kunkelová (born 1977), Slovak wheelchair curler, 2014 and 2018 Winter Paralympian
• Paul Kunkel (1903–1977), American tennis player
• Peter Kunkel (born 1956), German footballer
• Rachelle Kunkel (born 1978), American diver
• Rainer Künkel (born 1950), German footballer

Other

• Benjamin Kunkel (born 1972), American novelist and political economist
• Bill Kunkel (journalist) (1950–2011), American executive editor of Electronic Games Magazine
• Bruce Kunkel, former member of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
• Leah Kunkel (born 1948), American singer, songwriter, and attorney
• Mike Kunkel, American cartoonist
• Renata Kunkel (born 1954), Polish composer
• Russ Kunkel (born 1948), American drummer and producer
• Thomas Kunkel (born 1955), American author, journalist, and educator
• Thor Kunkel (born 1963), German author