E. Rossoni groups this surname within a family of related forms which would derive, directly or indirectly through dialect alterations, from the Hebrew name Jesse, meaning "gift". Rossoni documents the use of this name in the Commentum super poema Comedie Dantis of Pietro Alighieri. This same family includes variants such as Iessi, Jessi, Iezzi and Jezzi, distributed mainly in central and southern Italy.

E. De Stefani agrees on the connection with the biblical name Iesse of the Old Testament, but broadens the etymological analysis by also proposing a link with the numerous affectionate forms of the name Giovanni —from the Latin Johannes, whose Hebrew root is read as "God gives" or "God has mercy"— and with the Slovene word jezero ("lake"). De Stefani further notes that in southern Austria, specifically in Carinthia, the related surname Jesse exists, with related forms such as Jeß and Jesserer.

As regards geographical distribution, the authors agree that the surname is very rare and proper to Friuli. De Stefani locates it specifically in Amaro, in the mountainous area of Carnia, in the province of Udine, where parish registers document it from the end of the 18th century and link it to a family originally from Pontebba.