The authors agree that this surname derives from zappa (hoe, an agricultural tool), in reference to the peasant trade of the founding ancestor. It is, therefore, a surname of occupational origin that designates the worker of the earth.

E. Rossoni notes that the form Zappone would correspond to an augmentative-diminutive derivative of zappa, and documents its presence in various zones: the province of Campobasso —especially Cercemaggiore—, L'Aquila, Rome, Terracina, the Reggio Calabria area —Palmi and Taurianova— and the Brescia area —Pontevico—. The variant Zapponi appears in Cremona, Felonica, Carrara, Rome and Tivoli.

S. Vannozzi, following Paolucci, specifies that the surname is characteristic of Cercemaggiore, where it was probably formed in past centuries, although historically it also spread to several centres of lower Molise and the Larino area. Vannozzi also provides the oldest known documentary reference: a 14th-century notice concerning a monk of Caselvatico, in the countryside of Cercemaggiore, where the surname appears in the Latinized form Zapnus.