A surname typical of Piedmont and principally of the province of Cuneo, Giraudo has deep medieval roots, with origins in Old French and Germanic. It derives from the Germanic name Gerald or Girardus, and the ending -audo is associated with strength and mastery, meaning "strong with the spear" or "master of the spear". In Italy, especially in the north-west and in particular in Piedmont, the name was Italianized as Geraldo or Giraldo, and in the Piedmontese dialect it became Giraudo.

Gerald is compounded from geri or gari ("spear") and wald ("rule, power"), and is read as "he who rules with the spear", reflecting a figure of leadership in the medieval context. Despite its French roots, the surname spread in Italy, particularly in Piedmont, on account of the historical and cultural influence of France in northern Italy.

The earliest documented mentions of the surname date from the year 1000, in a document concerning a property near Cuneo. Over the centuries, the surname expanded across the Piedmontese region, remaining chiefly in the western area of Piedmont.