The authors agree that the surname, at least in part of the clusters, derives from the Germanic compound Ans Gari (also Ansgari, Angerius), formed from ans ("divinity, god of the Germanic pantheon") and gari/gaira ("spear"), meaning "divine spear" or "spear of the gods".

E. Rossoni specifies that in the Venetian clusters it could derive from an alteration of the place name Angiari, in the Verona area. For the Campanian clusters, he derives it from the Norman name Angerius, in turn from the Germanic Ansgari. He recalls the bishop of Catania Angerius Brito of the 12th century.

V. Blunda, for the Sicilian variant, derives it from the Germanic compound Ans Gari. He notes that the spear was a weapon associated with Odin, the chief god of the Norse pantheon, whose legendary weapon Gungnir never missed its target. He adds that the surname is preserved in areas of Lombard imprint in northern Italy.