The surname Zaccaria (and its derivatives) is interpreted, according to the main scholars, from an anthroponymic origin of biblical root. E. De Felice and A. Bongioanni agree that it derives from the name Zaccaria, which goes back to the Hebrew Zekharyāh, formed by zakhar ('he has remembered') and Yah (an abbreviation of Yahweh). Its meaning may be interpreted as "God has remembered" or "servant of God", which reflects its deeply religious character and its diffusion in the medieval Christian sphere.

Both authors also highlight that this name was quite used in Italy, giving rise to numerous derived surnames such as Zaccarelli, Saccarelli, Zaccarini and Saccarini, among others. A. Bongioanni adds that, according to Fanfani, in Tuscany the name Zaccaria would have evolved towards forms such as Zúcchero, possibly through an intermediate stage such as Zácchero, which shows the variety of phonetic transformations that these names could undergo.