Tinos owes it name to Tino who was the first settler of the island. Its older names were Ofiousa, due to its many snakes and Ydrousa due to its abundance of water on the island.

Poseidon was the protector of the island and based on mythology it was he that sent a swarm of pelicans to protect it from the many snakes. The Phoenicians and the Pelasgians were the first inhabitants of the island and later the Iones inhabited it. The most ancient elements of its history go back to the Mycenaean era.

Graves of same era were also found. Elements increase from the Geometric era and after. Xombourgou was the historic center of the island from the Geometric time up until the 5th century B.C. The rocky hill at the center of the eastern part of Tinos is presently named Xombourgo. The excavations that were conducted by professor Nick Kontoleon showed that a walled town that was possibly constituted from a settlement of one of the 12 tribes of the island was located that at south and southwestern base of the rock. We come across Geometric graves up until the time of Ktikados.

During the 6th century B.C. the island was dependent to Eretria. When the Athenians extended their rule to the islands, Tinos during the reign of Pisostratos acquired the "Pisistratio Aquaduct", a very important project , from which this the whole city was getting its water supply until 1934.

During the 5th century B.C. the city was moved to its present location. From the 3rd century B.C. up until the 3rd century A.C. it flourished. The temple of Poseidon and Amfitritis that were husband and wife were worshipped as gods of the sea. The temple of Poseidon and Amfitriti was built west of the present city in the position of Kionia.

In the beginning of the past century excavations took place and the entrance of the temple, statues, water reservoir and a solar clock made from white marble were found. The exact date of the construction of this temple is not known and up to this date. The findings from the excavations go back to times before the 5th century B.C.

Thanks to the worshiping of Poseidon, Tinos like Delos was an important religious center. The Poseidonia were religious manifestations in honor of Poseidon and they were held during the months of January and February. During the 3rd century B.C. the expansion of the temple took place and the worshipping of Amfitriti was established, who was the wife of Poseidon. Poseidon was worshipped in Tinos basically as a healer. The coins of Tinos resembled Poseidon.

During the Median wars the island succumbed to the Persians. In 490 B.C. the Dilians fled to Tinos for protection. Later the Tinians fought the Plataies against the Persians. Tinos was part of the Alliance of Delos and in 386 B.C. it became independent. After that it went over to Philip up to the Ptolemaious, up until the 2nd century B.C. when in was incorporated to the Roman government. Until 1204 the available information about Tinos, involved raids and plunderings of pirates, Arabs and Siracusans.

The sudden change from the Venetian reign to the Turkish domination was not so tragic as the Tinians maintained some of there privileges. They had the right to wear their local clothing, they were not obliged to wear a fez and were allowed to wear red socks, something that was not allowed anywhere else in Islam. Another important privilege that the Tinians maintained was the fact that they had the freedom to build churches and schools. The island had the pleasure of substantial self-administration and four elected elders constituted the highest political and administrative authority of Tinos which was called the Municipality of the island Tinos. This was when the movement of populations was noticed. From Tinos to Constantinople , Smyrna and Alexandria and from the rest of Greece towards Tinos, due to the privileges it enjoyed in relation to other areas of Greece.

During the Russian Domination in Tinos (1770-74) the construction of the Orthodox church of Agia Aikaterini was completed. During that time two legions were formed of 200 men each. The one was made up from Orthodox and the other from Catholics.

The island had developed into the economic capital of the Cyclades because of the privileges it enjoyed during the Turkish Domination. Commerce had developed and it had influenced the clothing of the locals. It was called the "Small Paris". Consuls and sub-consuls from France, Russia, England, Denmark and Spain were on the island.

At the end of January of 1823 the icon of Panagia (Virgin Mary) was found and this was considered as a message for the independence of the Greeks. Miaoulis, Kanaris, Kolokotronis, Nikitaras and Makrygiannis worshiped the icon.

Later during the German and the Italian occupation the residents suffered from hunger. And in this revolution, Tinos played a very important role. Due to its geographic position between others G. Papandreou and K. Karamanlis were forwarded to Alexandria. It is estimated that approximately 4000 volunteers came through the island and received its hospitality.

One of the largest information and sabotage detachments of the Allies in the Aegean operated on the island. The damages that the Germans suffered from the transmition of information from the radio of Tinos to the Allied Headquarters of the Middle East were very important. This important contribution of the Tinians to the secret war was only very recently made known to the public.