Ancient tree of life symbol obviously, the word "tattoo" is a fairly new one, as far as the beginnings of words go, the first time ever being used in 1769 in Captain James Cook‘s diary. It comes from a Polynesian word, as many of the Pacific islands at the time tattooed themselves. English speaking sailors first got their tattoos on these islands, then introduced the custom to Europe. However, tattooing was believed to have started in Egypt, before Egypt was even an organized society, 6,000 years ago.