E. Rossoni distinguishes two groups of independent origin for this surname. The northern stems would have an origin similar to that of the surname Zerbi, while for the southern stems he considers very probable a derivation from nicknames originating in the Greek word zerbós, meaning "left-handed". As for the geographical distribution, Rossoni locates a presence in the Alessandria area —particularly in Novi Ligure and its surroundings—, in Venice, in Thiene, in Sicily (Palermo, Catania and Bronte), and in the Imperia and Albenga area, in the province of Savona.

F. Miranda confirms the Greek origin of the surname for the southern stems, linking it to the word zerbò, which would allude to a physical characteristic of the first bearer. For the northern nucleus, on the other hand, Miranda proposes a derivation from the place name Zerbo, a locality in the province of Pavia, whose name comes in turn from the Lombard zerb, meaning "acerbic" and designating an uncultivated terrain. Geographically, Miranda identifies the main nucleus in Sicily —with a strong presence in the Catania area (including Bronte and Biancavilla), the Palermo area (including Monreale and Terrasini), and a presence also in the Messina, Syracuse, Ragusa and Enna areas— and secondary nuclei in northern regions such as Piedmont, Veneto, Lombardy, Liguria and Friuli-Venezia Giulia, besides Lazio and Calabria.

G. P. Holmes approaches the surname briefly, noting only its medieval Greek origin and the meaning "left-handed", in agreement with what the other authors note for the southern stems.