According to E. De Felice, the surname Aquila —widespread from Abruzzo towards the Marche, Lazio and Umbria— presents multiple possible origins that often intersect. It can derive from the place name L'Aquila, especially in forms such as D'Aquila, Dell'Aquila or Aquilani. It can also originate as a nickname based on aquila ("eagle"), applied to people with qualities such as sharp sight, intelligence or even a certain dominant character. In addition, in some variants such as Aquilini, it could continue the Latin cognomen Aquilinus, linked to the old nomen Aquilius, while forms such as Aquilante could be related to adaptations of names spread by the medieval epic tradition.

For his part, E. Rossoni agrees on this plurality of origins and notes that the surname can derive from a nickname, from the Abruzzese place name L'Aquila or from the medieval name Aquila, mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles. He adds that the forms with D' or Dell' can be interpreted both as patronymic —referring to an ancestor named Aquila— and toponymic, indicating provenance from the city. The transformation into a surname is documented as early as the 14th century, with figures such as Giacomo Caetani dell'Aquila.

Finally, F. De Laurentiis reaffirms these interpretations and highlights its diffusion in central Italy, stressing both the toponymic origin in L'Aquila and the nickname value derived from aquila, associated with qualities such as intelligence, sharpness and strength.