Ghillino is a rare surname of northern Italian origin, with its main core documented in Liguria (especially in Genoa and in Propata, in the Genoese hinterland) and a related presence in Piedmont. The most likely etymology links it to the group of hypocoristics derived from the medieval Germanic name Guglielmo (Germanic Wilhelm, compounded from the roots wilian, "will", and helm, "helmet, protective headgear"), introduced into Italy during Lombard and Norman rule.

Sibling surnames, all derived from the same personal name, are Ghiglia, Ghigliotti and Ghiglione, common in the Ligurian-Piedmontese area. A historical tradition links the Piedmontese Roero family with the figure of a Flemish condottiero named Ghillone or Gillone, regarded as the legendary founder of the lineage, which suggests a possible variant of the same name as the base of Ghillino.

Civil registry records document members of the Ghillino family in Genoa and in Propata from the second half of the 19th century (Carlo Alberto Ghillino, b. around 1860 in Genoa, and Adelmo Giacomo Ghillino, b. 1900 in Propata).