A. Bongioanni notes that this surname shares its origin with Cavalcante and refers to that entry for further development.

E. Rossoni explains that Cante, together with related surnames, derives directly or indirectly from the medieval Italian name Cante. As an illustrious example he mentions Cante dei Gabrielli da Gubbio (c. 1260 – c. 1335), a politician of the Guelph faction who served as Podestà of Pistoia, Siena and Florence, and who in 1302 issued the two sentences of condemnation against Dante Alighieri, on the charges of extortion and barratry.

According to Rossoni, the surname Cante is characteristic of the area of Giugliano in Campania and neighbouring localities of the Naples area. The form Canti presents areas of concentration in the north of the Milan area and in the Varese area, as well as in the Forlì, Rimini, Pesaro, Grosseto and Rome areas. Cantelli is frequent in Emilia, especially in the Modena, Bologna and Ferrara areas, with presence also in Liguria, the Rovigo area, Romagna and the Florence, Arezzo, Siena, Rome, Caserta and Naples areas. Cantello, on the other hand, seems to be peculiar to Sicily, particularly to the Mazzarino and Assoro areas, with another area of presence in the Turin area.