E. De Stefani explains that this surname continues the affectionate dialect form Mattiùs, formed by the root Matti- —from the name Mattia, itself from the Latin Matthaeus— plus the suffix -ùs, characteristic of numerous Friulian surnames. The name Matthaeus goes back to the Hebrew mattathai, with the meaning "gift of God", and in time became a surname. De Stefani documents its presence sporadically in several communities of Carnia —the mountainous region of northern Friuli, in the province of Udine— and in localities such as Tolmezzo, where it is recorded from the end of the 15th century.

E. Rossoni agrees on the Friulian origin and specifies that the surname is typical of the Udine area, with a marked presence at Udine, Basiliano and Coseano. He describes it as a dialect patronymic form derived from the name Matteo, with the sense of "the little ones of Matteo" or the descendants of Matteo.