This rare and interesting name is of Spanish origin and is the Catalan cognate of the name Encina, itself a topographical name for a dweller by the holm oak. The derivation is from the Spanish "encina", the Old Spanish "lecina", and the late Latin "ilicina", meaning holm oak, a dialectal word for holly. Topographical names are some of the earliest names to be created, as topographical features, whether natural or manmade, provided obvious and convenient means of identification. Among the recordings in Spain is the christening of Ana Maria Amado Alsina, the infant daughter of Diego Alcina, and Catalina Amado on December 25th 1764 at Algodonales, Cadiz (Spain). The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Marlagna Alcina (marriage to Pere Domingo), which was dated November 29th 1594 Valls, Tarragona, Spain, during the reign of King Philip 11 of Spain, 1556 - 1598. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.