The authors agree that this surname derives from the Greek chondrós ("thick", "corpulent"), originally a nickname referring to the physical build of the founder of the lineage, which over time was transformed into a surname.

G. Rohlfs specifies that it is a surname of Greek-Byzantine origin, documented in the city of Reggio Calabria and in localities of its province such as Taurianova, in the zone of the Aspromonte. E. Rossoni adds that the form Condrò is specific to the Reggio Calabria area —with presence in Taurianova, Sinopoli and Seminara—, while Cuntrò is typical of Catania and its province, and Cundrò, absolutely rare, also appears in the Catania area. Rossoni also notes a second hypothesis: the surname could derive from the Modern Greek term kondo, which means "low and short", although he considers the derivation from chondrós to be the most solid explanation.

V. Blunda agrees with the Greek etymology and underlines the descriptive character of the nickname, linked to the corpulence of the ancestor who motivated it, with documentation in Sicily.