The surname Prisco is of anthroponymic origin and derives from the Latin personal name Priscus, with the meaning of "ancient." On this point A. Bongioanni and E. Rossoni agree, noting that it is a name diffused since Antiquity and later adopted as a surname.

A. Bongioanni further highlights its diffusion in southern Italy through the cult of Saint Priscus, while E. Rossoni recalls its use in ancient Rome, which evidences its historical continuity. In this way, the surname reflects the transformation of a personal name of classical tradition into a hereditary surname.