According to E. De Felice, the surname Zara derives from the place name Zara, the Italian name of the city of Zadar, in present-day Croatia (historically linked to Dalmatia). Its diffusion is concentrated especially in the north-east of Italy, with a greater frequency in areas such as Venice and Trieste, which reinforces its toponymic character linked to that region and to the historical ties with the Dalmatian coast.

For his part, E. Rossoni notes that the surname may have different origins according to the family branch. In some cases, especially in Sardinia, it could derive from the place name Atzara (province of Nuoro); in the north-east of Italy, from the Dalmatian place name Zara. In other contexts, he proposes a possible anthroponymic origin, from the loss of the initial syllable in names such as Lazzara or Cesara. Finally, he also mentions a possible derivation from the Arabic az-zarh ("die"), the root of the word "hazard", which suggests an alternative linguistic influence in certain cases.