The surname has independent origins in different regions of Italy: presences are documented in Martina Franca, in the Taranto area, and with a greater concentration in Sicily, particularly in the Palermo area —Bagheria, Casteldaccia, Partinico and Ciminna—, as well as in the Catania area, the Messina area, Caltanissetta, Piazza Armerina and Leonforte in the Enna area, Favara in the Agrigento area, and Mazara del Vallo in the Trapani area.

On the origin, E. Rossoni gathers two theories. The first proposes that it derives from a Renaissance given name, Speciale, given to a much-wanted child. The second links it to the Latin term spetialis, the old name of one who prepared medicines —a kind of pharmacist—, documented in a deed of 1600.

V. Blunda reinforces the occupational hypothesis from a dialectal perspective: the surname would come from the Sicilian word spiciàli, meaning "apothecary, pharmacist", and would have arisen as a nickname applied to one who practised that trade in the Sicilian towns with a guild tradition.