E. De Felice notes that this surname derives from the place name Salvaterra, with municipalities of that name in the Reggio Emilia and Rovigo areas, and places it in the north and centre-east of Italy.

E. Rossoni broadens this toponymic origin by linking it with ancient defensive structures: in Forlimpopoli there existed in the year 1300 a fortress called Salvaterra, and in Fidenza, from the mid-13th century, a Torre Salvaterra operated for the surveillance of the territory. Rossoni locates the surname mainly in Trentino, with a presence also in the Mantua area, and documents the presence of the family in Veneto from the 16th century.

The surname presents multiple independent lines of origin (ceppi), arisen in different regions without a direct relation between them, all linked to the denomination of places or defensive constructions bearing the name Salvaterra.