E. Rossoni and E. De Stefani differ on the origin of the surname.

Rossoni identifies it as an affectionate dialectal form with patronymic value, referring to the name Anzio, an Italianisation of the Latin name Antius, documented in the Factorum et dictorum memorabilium of Valerius Maximus. He notes that the suffix -utti is equivalent to "son of". He documents the transformation into a surname in Forni di Sopra from the second half of the 15th century.

De Stefani, on the other hand, connects the surname with the given name Anzil, a variant of the name Janzil, a form linked to the Latin Johannes, frequent throughout Friuli and the neighbouring German-speaking areas from the 14th century.

De Stefani specifies that in the past the surname appeared as Anzilutti, in which the personal name Anzil plus the Friulian suffix -ut is recognised. The name Giovanni comes from a Hebrew root interpreted as "God gives" or "God has mercy". Over time, the name became a surname.