The authors agree that this surname has a broad distribution throughout Italy. At its origin may be found both generic terms related to the mountainous environment and specific place names containing the root mont-, present in numerous regions of the country: Montagna (in the provinces of Savona, Sondrio, Bolzano, among others), Montagne (in the Trento area), Montagnana (in the Padua, Modena, Pistoia, Florence areas, among others), Montagnano (in the Arezzo area), Montagnone (in the Brescia area), Montano (in the Como and Salerno areas), Montanara (in the Cremona and Mantua areas), Montanaro (in the Turin and Milan areas), as well as their respective demonyms.

E. De Felice notes that the surname predominates in southern Italy and in Veneto. He further observes that Montana is characteristic of Sicily; Montano and Montani are concentrated in Liguria; Montàn appears in Veneto; Montanelli is proper to Tuscany; and Montanari is very frequent in Emilia-Romagna.

E. Rossoni broadens the picture with additional variants. Montanari is proper to northern Italy, with a great presence in Emilia-Romagna. Montanaro is characteristic of the south, with a prevalence in Puglia. Montanino is typical of Campania, especially in the Caserta and Naples areas. Montano is very widespread in Campania and Basilicata, with a presence also in Rome and Palermo. Monti appears throughout Italy, with the greatest concentration in Lombardy, Emilia-Romagna, Piedmont and Apennine Tuscany. Rossoni further specifies that all these surnames derive from nicknames —dialect ones as well— linked to a mountainous origin of the ancestors, or else come from place names containing the root mont-.