The surname Priore is of anthroponymic and nickname origin, derived from the term priore ("prior"), which designates a religious or civil office. On this point E. De Felice and E. Rossoni agree, noting that the surname arises from this title, used both for the superior of a convent and, in medieval contexts, for certain urban magistrates.

E. De Felice adds that, in some areas —especially in eastern Sicily—, it may also derive from the place name Priolo, which introduces a possible geographic interpretation. Along the same lines, E. Rossoni highlights that the surname could have alluded to people linked by dependence or kinship with a prior. In this way, the surname reflects both a relation with religious or administrative functions and, in certain cases, a territorial origin.