E. Rossoni notes that this surname is typical of Puglia and is distributed throughout the region, with a main area at Ostuni, in the Brindisi area, and in Foggia; it further shows a secondary area in Prato. According to Rossoni, it could derive from a nickname linked to provenance from the French city of Marseilles, or else to the activity of soap maker.

F. De Laurentiis agrees on the toponymic origin from Marsiglia, but broadens the perspective: he notes that this place name is present also in the Genoa area, and that the reference points both to the name of the well-known French city and to the commercial activities associated with it.