The authors agree that this surname has a Greek origin and points back to a nickname related to the curly hair of the ancestor. E. De Felice notes that it was formed in zones of Modern Greek tradition and language from the Modern Greek sgurós, with the meaning of "of curly hair, in ringlets," and documents its use as early as 1115 in Stilo as a surname or second name: Basileios Sguros. E. Rossoni agrees on the Greek etymon and specifies that sgurós derives in turn from the Ancient Greek sgouròs, with the sense of "curl, curly."

G. Rohlfs characterizes the surname as of Greek-Byzantine origin and mentions an older form, Sgorò, from the Greek σγουρός ("of curly hair"). Rohlfs documents it in the cities of Catanzaro and Reggio Calabria and in their provinces, with a presence in localities such as Briatico, Maida, Pizzo, Squillace, Montebello, Palmi and Siderno. He considers Sgrò a sibling form of Sgrói, and notes that in Sicily the variants Sgrò, Isgrò and Sgrói coexist.

As to the geographic distribution, Rossoni specifies that Sgrò is very diffused in the Reggio Calabria area and has a significant presence also in central-eastern Sicily. De Felice adds that in southern Calabria the form Sgrò predominates, while in Sicily Sgroi and Isgrò predominate. Rossoni also distinguishes other variants of the group: Sgro, typical of the Reggio Calabria area; Sgroi, proper to the Catania and Palermo areas; and Sgroia, specific to Eboli, in the Salerno area.

P. Durante proposes a double etymological possibility: besides the Greek sgurós ("curly"), he also considers the Greek iskhyrós ("strong") as an alternative etymon. This second hypothesis is not mentioned by the other authors.