The surname Avola is interpreted, according to the main scholars, from a clearly defined toponymic origin. E. De Felice notes that it is a surname peculiar to eastern Sicily, formed directly from the name of the locality of Avola, in the province of Syracuse. In this sense, the surname would indicate geographical provenance, that is, families originating from that place, following a mechanism very frequent in the formation of Italian surnames.

For his part, E. Rossoni agrees on this toponymic origin, reaffirming the derivation from the name of the city of Avola. However, he also mentions an alternative hypothesis according to which the place name could be linked to a modification of the old Sicanian term Ibla, which would point to an even older origin of the name of the place. He also stresses that the lineage is documented at least from the 14th century, which shows its historical rooting in the region.

Taken together, the surname Avola reflects the strong relationship between territory and family identity in Sicily, where the names of localities gave rise to numerous surnames that still preserve the memory of their place of origin.