The authors agree that Guidotti derives from the medieval name Guidotto, itself related to the name Guido. F. Miranda specifies that Guido is of Lombard origin, derived from the Old High German Wido ("learned"), or else from the Germanic Widu ("wood, forest") or from Wida ("distant").

E. Rossoni notes that the name Guidotto is documented in Boccaccio's Decameron (Fifth Day, Fifth Tale) with the character Guidotto da Cremona. He also supplies notable historical testimony: in the 12th century, in the Siena area, the Guidotti family was the cradle of Galgano Guidotti, who became the famous Saint Galgano. At the beginning of the 16th century a Guidotti is documented as archpriest in Correggio (Reggio Emilia area) and a notary, Francesco Guidotti, in San Miniato (Pisa area). In the 17th century, Paolo Guidotti (1560–1629) was a renowned painter.

As for its geographical distribution, the authors agree that the surname is proper to the area comprising southern Lombardy, eastern Emilia-Romagna and northern Tuscany. Miranda broadens this information and indicates a presence in the Marche, Lazio, Piedmont, Liguria and Campania, with isolated pockets in Sicily, in the provinces of Palermo, Catania, Agrigento and Enna. Rossoni adds that the variant Guidotto is specific to the Venice area.