E. De Felice proposes that the surname derives from the hypocoristic Nòzzo, an apocopated form of affectionate altered forms in -òzzo —such as Antonozzo, Benozzo or Mannozzo— arisen from personal names ending in -no, -nio, -ne or -ni. He links its origin to Tuscany.

E. Rossoni offers a complementary perspective: the surname could derive from diminutive forms with syncope of names such as Umberto or Roberto, or else from contracted dialect variants of the name Antonio. He notes a presence of the surname in Emilia, between the Modena and Bologna areas, as well as in the Chieti area —specifically at Castiglione Messer Marino and San Salvo— and more sparsely in Rome.