E. Rossoni notes that this surname derives from nicknames based on the archaic Italian term squarcina, which designated a kind of knife with a curved blade similar to a short scimitar. This nickname could have identified butchers, mercenaries or highwaymen, and its use is documented in medieval sources. Rossoni places its presence in the Venice and Padua area —including localities such as Abano Terme, Montegrotto Terme, Selvazzano Dentro and Rubano—, as well as in the Florence area, in particular Borgo San Lorenzo, and in the Pisa area, with a presence in Montopoli in Val d'Arno, Capannoli and Pontedera (in this case under the form Squarcini).

F. De Laurentiis provides a complementary perspective: he places the origin in medieval nicknames formed from the verb squarciare, with the sense of "to tear to pieces" or "to flay", which points to an occupational or violent profile similar to the one proposed by Rossoni, though emphasising the verbal base rather than the noun that designates the weapon.