Goethals is a Dutch surname originating in Flanders. It seems to be derived from Goedaels, meaning "good ale", and, equivalent to the English and German surnames Goodale and Gutbier, would have referred to a brewer. People with the surname include:
Angela Goethals (born 1977), American actressAuguste Goethals (1812–1888), Belgian lieutenant general and minister of warChristian Goethals (1928–2003), Belgian racing driverFélix Goethals (1891–1962), French road bicycle racerFélix Victor Goethals (1798–1872), Belgian historian, librarian and genealogistGeorge Washington Goethals (1858–1928), United States Army officer and civil engineerGuy Goethals (born 1952), Belgian football refereeHenry Goethals (c.1217–1293), Flemish scholastic philosopherLucien Goethals (1931–2006), Belgian composerPaul Goethals (1832–1901), Belgian Jesuit priest, first Catholic archbishop of Calcutta.Pieter Goethals (1826–1860), Flemish victim of judicial error, beheaded for a murder he did not commitRaymond Goethals (1921–2004), Belgian football coachRobert Goethals (1922–2011), Belgian football coachThomás Goethals (born 1983), Dutch/Mexican DJNamed after George Washington GoethalsGoethals Bridge in New York CityGoethals Medal, awarded by the Society of American Military EngineersUSS General G. W. Goethals (ID-1443) and USNS George W. Goethals (T-AP-182), US Navy shipsDredge Goethals US Army ocean-going hopper dredgerNamed after Paul GoethalsGoethals Memorial School, administered by the Congregation of Christian Brothers in India