E. De Felice and V. Blunda differ on the origin of the surname.

De Felice derives it from the old affectionate name Amoroso, from the adjective amoroso ("full of love, in love", or also "much loved, beloved"). He documents the name from the 11th century in Molfetta and in other southern centres in the Latinised forms Amorusius and Amorusus. He notes that it is widespread and very frequent in the south, especially in Bari.

Blunda, on the other hand, for the Sicilian variant derives it from the Arabic etymon ‘ayn ar-ru’ūs ("spring of the peaks" or "source of the heights"), a toponymic reference to an elevated place with water. He clarifies that there is also an Italian homonym of different origin.