The authors agree that this surname derives from the feminine proper name Viola, which in turn comes from the common name of the violet flower. E. Rossoni notes that its distribution is pan-Italian. F. De Laurentiis specifies that, although it is diffused throughout Italy, it presents a greater frequency in the south, and adds that in some cases the surname could also reflect an origin in the trade name related to musical instruments such as the viola, the violetta or the violin. As for the symbolism of the base name, De Laurentiis associates the violet flower with beauty, sensitivity and modesty.

R. Brondolo adds that it is a matronymic —that is, a surname formed from the name of the mother— derived from the feminine name Viola, and links it especially to northern Italy.