The surname Beccari and its variants —such as Beccaro, Beccai or Beccaria— originate in a nickname of a professional character linked to the trade of butcher. According to E. De Felice, they derive from the medieval term beccaro or beccàio (the Tuscan form), meaning precisely "butcher", while Beccaria comes from the noun beccarìa, an old form of beccheria ("butcher's shop"). This type of surname reflects the importance of trades in the identification of people in the Middle Ages, and their subsequent consolidation as hereditary surnames.

Along the same lines, E. Rossoni confirms this occupational origin, noting that they may derive both from the trade of beccaio and from the medieval name Beccarius. However, he adds that in the specific case of Beccaria there are several possible provenances: besides the trade, it could derive from a place name (such as Beccaria, in the Pavia area) or even from a Latin cognomen, which broadens the possible interpretations.

For their part, both E. De Felice and E. Rossoni highlight the historical relevance of the surname, especially in Lombardy, where the Beccaria were one of the oldest and most powerful families of Pavia between the 12th and 15th centuries. The figure of Cesare Beccaria, a prominent jurist and Enlightenment philosopher, is also recalled. Taken together, the various perspectives agree in pointing to a medieval origin linked to the professional sphere, with possible toponymic developments and an important historical projection.