The authors agree on the Greek origin of the surname. E. Rossoni notes that it would derive from the Greek term kalogheros, meaning "beautiful old man", a title reserved especially for friars and persons of respect. In some cases it could come from the Greek proper name Kalogeros, or else from place names containing the root Calogero, such as San Calogero in the Vibo Valentia and Agrigento areas, or Piano Calogero in the Palermo area.

P. Durante proposes instead a different etymology: the Greek kalos hieros, with the sense of "good priest" or "monk", or else its use as a proper name.

Rossoni documents indications of the transformation into a surname from the 16th century in Lizzanello, in the Lecce area, with the form Calogiuri, and in the second half of the 18th century with the variant Caligiuri. Geographically, the form Caligiuri is concentrated in Calabria, particularly in the southern zone of Cosenza, Catanzaro and Crotone, while Calogero predominates in eastern Sicily and in the Reggio Calabria area.