The surname Shahinian is of Armenian origin, believed to have originated in the region of historic Armenia around the 12th century. It is derived from the Armenian word "shah," meaning "king" or "ruler," and is likely a patronymic name, indicating that the original bearer was the son or descendant of someone named Shah.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Shahinian can be found in a 13th-century Armenian manuscript, where a scribe named Hovhannes Shahinian is mentioned. This suggests that the name was already well-established in Armenia by that time.

Another notable early reference to the Shahinian name comes from the 15th century, when a wealthy Armenian merchant named Khachatur Shahinian is recorded as having lived in the city of Ani, an important cultural and economic center of medieval Armenia.

During the Ottoman Empire's rule over historic Armenia, many Armenians were forced to flee their homeland due to persecution and violence. As a result, Armenians bearing the Shahinian surname began to settle in various parts of the world, including Iran, Russia, and other regions of the Middle East and Europe.

Harutyun Shahinian (1853-1918) was a prominent Armenian writer and journalist who played a significant role in the Armenian literary renaissance of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He was born in the city of Shushi, in the Nagorno-Karabakh region of modern-day Azerbaijan.

Mihran Shahinian (1881-1945) was an Armenian-American artist and illustrator, known for his work in magazines and children's books. He was born in the Ottoman Empire but later immigrated to the United States, where he had a successful career as an illustrator.

Sergey Shahinian (1890-1937) was a Soviet Armenian military commander and politician who played a prominent role in the establishment of Soviet rule in Armenia. He served as the first chairman of the Revolutionary Committee of Armenia and later held various high-level positions in the Soviet government.

Ara Shahinian (1904-1987) was an Armenian-American architect and urban planner who made significant contributions to the design and development of several cities in the United States, including Los Angeles and San Francisco. He was born in Kharpert, Ottoman Empire (now Elazığ, Turkey).

Mariam Shahinian (born 1957) is an Armenian-Lebanese lawyer and human rights activist. She served as the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Contemporary Forms of Slavery from 2008 to 2014 and has been a prominent advocate for the rights of migrant workers and victims of human trafficking.