The surname Piccione is of nickname origin and derives from bynames formed from the term piccione ('pigeon'). On this point F. De Laurentiis and E. Rossoni agree, noting that it could have been applied both to people linked to the trade of raising pigeons and to those who showed behaviours associated with this animal, such as the tendency to always return to the same place.

E. Rossoni further adds that, in some cases, the surname may have a toponymic origin, deriving from places called Piccione. In this way, the surname reflects mainly a descriptive or occupational designation, although it may also indicate a geographic reference in certain contexts.