E. Rossoni identifies two areas of presence for this surname: one at Santa Marina, in the province of Salerno, and another in the province of Lecce, specifically at Alezio, Sannicola and Scorrano. According to Rossoni, it could derive from shortened forms of Greek names such as Megareus, Megadates, Megathenes or others of the kind. He further notes the existence of the variant Megha, very infrequent and likewise documented in the province of Lecce, which he probably attributes to an error of the civil register for the previous form.

G. Rohlfs considers it a surname of Greco-Byzantine origin, present in the province of Cosenza, in the locality of Sìbari, within the region of Calabria. He places it in the family of the surname Mèa and links it to the Greek megas, with the meaning "great". For Rohlfs, this surname reflects the Byzantine presence in southern Italy.

Both authors agree on the Greek origin of the surname, although they differ on the location and on the etymological approach: Rossoni places it in Campania and Puglia and points to Greek given names as the base, while Rohlfs documents it in Calabria and connects it with a common Greek adjective, megas ("great"), through a Greco-Byzantine line of transmission.