F. Miranda notes that this surname shares its etymology with Proiti and presents two hypotheses of origin. According to G. Rohlfs, it would derive from a place name of the Messina area; according to G. Caracausi, it would come from the Greek term prochytes, which means "jug." Miranda adds a third possibility: that the surname derives from Proitos (Πρoΐτος), the name of the king of Tiryns in Greek mythology, son of Abas and Aglaia and twin brother of Acrisius.

G. P. Holmes agrees with the Greek etymology and translates the meaning as "jug."

The surname is present in Sicily, in the provinces of Messina —where it is mainly concentrated—, Catania, Enna, Palermo and Syracuse, although it is also documented in other regions of Italy, such as Lombardy, Piedmont, Lazio, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Emilia-Romagna, Abruzzo and Apulia.

Miranda further reports on the compound surname Pruiti Ciarello, in which the second element corresponds to the Sicilian dialect term Ciareddu —Italianized as Ciarello—, which designates a "kid or lamb still suckling" and would have functioned as a nickname of the first bearer, according to the Vocabolario siciliano of Piccitto.