Messel is a German surname. It derives from the German municipality of Messel in the district of Darmstadt-Dieburg in Hesse near Frankfurt am Main.
Notable people with the surname include:
Alfred Messel (1853–1909), German architect
Harry Messel (1922–2015), Canadian-born Australian physicist Maud Messel (1875–1960) British artist and horticulturalist Oliver Messel (1904–1978), English artist and stage designer Syvert Tobiassen Messel (1897–1978), Norwegian politician