The surname Bertagnoli and its variants —such as Bertagnolli, Bertagnolo, Bertagnollo— present a complex origin, with possible derivations both geographical and anthroponymic. According to E. Rossoni, one of the main hypotheses links it with the gentilic Bertagna, a Venetian form of Brittany, documented as early as the 16th century, which would indicate an origin related to people coming from that region or identified with it.

In another line of interpretation, E. Rossoni notes that these surnames may derive from names of Germanic or Celtic root, especially from elements such as bertha ("luminous") or bert ("bearer"), very frequent in the formation of medieval names. This double possibility reflects the overlapping of cultural influences in northern Italy and the evolution of surnames from different linguistic traditions.

From the geographical point of view, E. Rossoni indicates that Bertagnoli is specific to the Verona area, Bertagnolli to Trentino-Alto Adige, and forms such as Bertagnolo and Bertagnollo are very rare and concentrated in the Rovigo area. For his part, F. De Laurentiis proposes a more synthetic interpretation, considering them derived from Bèrti, which integrates them within the broad family of surnames originating in the name Berto. Taken together, the various interpretations agree in pointing to a multiple origin, with possible roots both geographical and anthroponymic.