Tatoos have existed in Europe since the ice ages. Literaly.

Archaeological findings from the Mas d'Azil in the Pyrenees in the south of France include what appear to be the tools of a tattoer dated to about 12000bce. (Marthe Pequart, "Grotte de Mas d'Azil, une nouvelle galerie Magdelenienne"). I know that there were other similar findings in Scandinavia and Portugal, but I dont have the specifics. Also the frozen mummy know as Otzi, which was recovered in a glacier in the Otzal alp between Italy and Austria. He has been dated to about 5500bce and has several tatoos

Historicaly we know that greeks and romans sometimes tatooed themselves. Though it was apparently considered a barbarian tradition and ususally used to mark slaves, Vegetius in the "epitome of military science" wrote that in the army men had the prove themselves before earning the effort that took marking them with a simbol. I know that the recipe for roman tattoo ink was recorded, but i cant remember where i read it. Ill try to find it if you are interested.

Further north, roman historians (like Ceasar and Herod of Antioch) tell us that gauls and picts also tattoed themselves with blue pigment, an often in the shape of animals. Traditionaly believed to be woad, recent studies sugest that woad, while exelent for long lasting and striking body paint, is unsuitable for tattoos. Even further north, during his travels aming the vikings around 1100ad ibn Fadlan wrote that they where dirty and covered in pictures.

However in the 780s pope Hadrian I prohibited all forms of tattooing in christendom and pretty much all knowledge of the practice was lost for a long time in Europe, untill sometime in the midle ages the concept of the pilgrimage tattoo, which marked the completion of the journey became popular.