According to E. De Felice and A. Bongioanni, Bianca is originally an Italian feminine given name. Although it is not the name of a female saint, it has long been widely used, perhaps referring not so much to a person's fair complexion as to the idea of baptismal purity or candour. They note, however, that surnames such as Bianca, Bianco, and related forms are more likely to derive directly from the adjective bianco (“white”) than from the given name itself.

E. Rossoni agrees that these surnames derive from the term bianco (“white”), which was used as a personal name or nickname referring to physical characteristics such as light hair or fair complexion. He also suggests that, in some cases, the surname may be linked to environmental features, such as white houses, or to place names.

The surname Bianca is found mainly in Sicily, particularly in the provinces of Syracuse and Catania, with additional presence in Palermo and Naples.