F. Miranda notes that this surname —a variant of Spinello— admits multiple hypotheses of origin. It could be an aphaeretic form (with the fall of the initial syllable) of the name Ospinello, documented in Liguria and Umbria during the 12th century under the Latinized forms Ospinellus or Hospinellus, linked to the name of the hero of the Carolingian epic Hospinel or Ospinel. It could also be a diminutive of the names Spina or Spino, or derive from Crispinello, an aphaeretic hypocoristic of Crispino. Other paths noted by Miranda include a byname based on spinello, a term that designates both a kind of fish and a precious stone. Finally, following E. De Felice, it could derive from the place names Spinello —a locality in the provinces of Foggia and Catanzaro— or Spinelli —a locality in the provinces of Pisa and Salerno.

As for its geographical distribution, Miranda indicates that the surname is spread mainly in southern Italy and in Sicily, with a notable presence in the Messina area —in localities such as Gioiosa Marea, Montagnareale, Patti and Lipari—, in the Catania area —Adrano, Acireale, Giarre— and in the Palermo area —Marineo, San Giuseppe Jato, Partinico and Trappeto. It also appears in Calabria, Lombardy, Lazio, Veneto, Piedmont and other regions.

V. Blunda offers a different perspective of more limited scope: he considers the surname of Sicilian dialectal origin, derived from the word spinèdda, which designates butcher's broom or spiny holly, a shrub with pricking leaves typical of the Mediterranean undergrowth, traditionally used in Christmas decoration. According to Blunda, its transformation into a surname would probably have passed through a microtoponym applied to someone who lived near a spot populated by that species.