The surname Pandolfi is of anthroponymic origin, deriving from the Germanic personal name Pandolfo or Pandulf, introduced into Italy through the Lombard tradition. The name is a compound of two Germanic elements: bandwo-, meaning "standard" or "banner," and wulfa-, meaning "wolf" or "valiant warrior," placing it firmly within the tradition of medieval Germanic onomastics.

E. De Felice draws attention to the historical diffusion of the name through prominent figures such as Pandolfo I, prince of Capua and Benevento in the tenth century, whose renown would have contributed to its spread across the Italian peninsula. It is also noted that the surname can be traced to hypocoristic forms such as Pando, reinforcing its development as a personal name that was later fixed as a hereditary surname.

The surname Pandolfi shows its greatest frequency in Campania and Tuscany, where the related form Pandolfini is also very common. The variants Pandolfo and Pandolfino are recorded particularly in Sicily.