According to F. De Laurentiis, the surnames Bozzoli and Bozzolo have as their base the Italian term bozzolo, which designates the cocoon produced by the larva of certain butterflies, especially the silkworm. From this word both nicknames and trade names were formed, probably linked to activities related to silk production.

In some cases, the origin may also be toponymic, that is, derived from places such as Bozzolo (province of Mantua) or the homonym in the province of La Spezia. In these cases, the surname would indicate a geographical provenance.

Another possible explanation points to the derivation from the medieval name Bozo or Bozzo, documented in northern Italy. This name was relatively diffused and is linked to popular forms arisen in the Middle Ages, which could have given rise to surnames such as Bozzolo.

From the point of view of its distribution, Bozzolo presents nuclei in the Genoa area and in the Verona-Vicenza axis, while Bozzoli is more diffused in northern Italy. For its part, Bozzolan is a variant of Venetian origin derived from Bozzoli.

As a whole, these surnames may have different origins: occupational (related to silk), toponymic (coming from places called Bozzolo) or anthroponymic (derived from a medieval personal name).