The authors agree that this surname derives from the word scaramella, related to the idea of skirmish or small armed clash. E. De Stefani links it specifically with the term scaramuccia ("clash between armed men"), documented in areas of Lombardy from the 13th century, and notes that at its origin it functioned as a nickname that over time became a surname. R. Brondolo broadens the semantic field of scaramella and also includes the senses of "ambush" and "deception."

As to the geographic distribution, the authors note different though partly coinciding zones. Brondolo places it in the province of Alessandria, in Piedmont, and in Lombardy. De Stefani, on the other hand, extends its presence to Veneto and Friuli-Venezia Giulia; in particular, he documents a rooting in the Carnia —a mountainous zone of northern Friuli, in the province of Udine— from the 17th century, with a presence in the locality of Rivalpo, a frazione of the municipality of Arta Terme. The oldest documentation that De Stefani records for Friuli in general goes back to the mid-15th century.