The authors agree that this surname has an anthroponymic origin, derived from the Germanic name Hluodowig / Hluodawigaz, compounded from the roots hluth ("famous, glorious") and wig ("combat"). The Latinized form is Ludovicus, and its Italian adaptation gave rise to the names Lodovico and Ludovico.

E. De Felice notes that the surname originates in the name of Frankish tradition Hluodowig, Romanized as Ludovicus, whose prestige was consolidated by Italian emperors, kings, princes and dukes. He stresses that Lodovico or Ludovico is the parallel of Luigi or Luise, of Old French tradition. Its presence is concentrated mainly in Emilia-Romagna, Tuscany and the Marche, that is, in the north and centre of Italy.

V. Blunda characterizes it as a surname proper to Sicily and of Germanic root, with the phonetic variant Hlutha Wugaz. For its part, the source of Surnames in Italy records a presence of the surname in the Bergamo area, in northern Italy, and gives the etymon Hluodowig with the meaning "illustrious fighter".