Top 71 Family Tattoo Ideas [2022 Inspiration Guide]

A great tattoo is meant to last for life, which explains the enduring importance and popularity of family tattoo designs. 

There are countless ways to pull off these emotionally charged pieces of family love and affection, but the touching impact always remains. Its why adorable family tattoo concepts feature on the list of 50+ best tattoo ideas. 

Because every family is a unique unit, the same must be true about body art a person receives in their honor. Whether the imagery reflects a shared experience or rare bond, this kind of tattoo art always carries symbolic meaning – from a small tattoo family name design through to the abstract woman and child heart tattoo. 

Read on for the top 71 family ideas to inspire you. You may even find the perfect tattoo to reflect your family tattoos idea. 

1. American Traditional Family Tattoo Art

A family take on the traditional Sailor Jerry tattoo favored early in the 20th century. The colors, while simple, really complement each other well and and the lines are drawn crisply.

A different take on a north American classic tattoo, the only way to describe it is ‘unique.’ The word family is what gives the ink its designation, as the rest of the imagery doesn’t really go with any standard familial definition because it’s an upside-down Octopus clutching some type of jewel.

This piece offers a new wave development of classic themes. The gun is about as old school as they come, with other tradition in the display of the flower and bannering. The quote is funky and well-drawn with most likely a narrow, single needle piece of kit.

2. Photorealism Family Symbol Designs

This tattoo conveys the same emotions of love, strength, and compassion that watching social media videos of servicemen returning to their families after being away at war do. It really is almost a snapshot transferred on to skin,and is brilliant work by the tattoo artist.

This is a great sleeve tattoo idea in three parts. The top piece is a mirror to the photograph of his child, while the Disney style castle symbolizes children and helps tie the top tattoo in with the father and child in play on its’ steps at the bottom. It is beautiful art. The tattoo artist has emphasized shading to communicate depth and transition across the piece.

The awesome use of film to convey a photographic/storytelling element is unique. The tattoo itself is top-quality portraiture, but the borders of film call to a home movie, or family camera. It’s exquisitely executed.

3. Hands and Feet Family Tattoos

This a good take on a realistic style of tattoo. The shading is well developed, with the grayscale in particularly flowing nicely through the detail of the hands, where it’s support by fantastic use of flat black in the creases and crevices. The simply drawn font sums up the message of this tattoo idea with little fuss.

This small tattoo amplifies the traditional D.O.B tattoo by adding well done depictions of the kids’ feet under their D.O.B, with time of birth noted below them.

Another tattoo that cleverly uses theming – this time of each persons’ hands – to create the notion of family. The baby’s hand is folded in the mothers’ hand, and clasped by the father, and drawn with great eye for detail. The deftly drawn pocket clock is set, presumably, to the baby’s time of birth.

This piece is similar (to the previous captain) although here the baby is gripping her fathers’ finger with one beautiful tiny hind. The baby’s name, Valeria, is drawn in Chicano style script.

4. Silhouette Family Body Art

Wow. This is an intricate piece, that again uses black to show the family ‘together’ in the image. The rest of the setting – everything from the clock to the flagstones – is then done using intense detail, which further accentuates the skills used to put it together into an entire piece of art.

This fantastic chest tattoo enjoys a clear and crisp design. The leafy border creates a different dimension, while within this leaf the man’s wife and children a drawn in flat black to create grand contrast to the detail of park and tree to the edge and bottom. As is often the case, the tattoo is etched close to his heart.

5. Names and Dates Family Tattoo

This small, minimalist tattoo provides a unique take on the D.O.B tattoo. It’s just a year, with the dates (not separated) underneath on notebook paper strung together. Either there’s another baby on the way, or the man is good at predicting future parenting outcomes with the small square left for number 4.

6. Family Tattoo Script and Lettering

This is a Chicano style tattoo with family emblazoned on it in flowing script, supported by simple black and gray shading.

A huge, interesting take on traditional font work, this tattoo combines elements of tribal flow with graffiti. It’s an outsize statement piece that melds together it’s line work deftly with the tracing.

7. Animal Representative Family Tattoo

The family of blackbirds in this piece is a great twist on the family motif.

8. Family Chest Tattoo Designs

This original piece has three separate stylistic elements. It utilizes the trash polka style of meshing together black, sweeping red shadow work, and the slightly avant-garde look to create a piece of art. However, its veers away a bit because it incorporates the cool use of font with a realistic style compass that is the dominant image in the artwork.

9. Abstract Family Tattoo Design

This is a lot to take in, as the half sleeve incorporates three distinct separate style. The angel is a neo-classical art piece, which is then used to link the huge outsize graffiti style family font by incorporating dotwork technique to provide pattern and shading.

 

10. Matching Family Tattoo

Family Tattoo FAQs 

What does a family tattoo mean? 

A family tattoo represents a permanent commitment; individuals etch into their skin the importance their loved ones are in day to day life and the need to carry them with the wearer everywhere they go. 

What is a good family tattoo? 

Family tattoo ideas that you can use effectively for a great, meaningful tattoo include: 

• The word ‘family’ or a family quote 
• Animals such as an elephant family tattoo 
• Silhouettes of you and a loved one 
• A family tree tattoo 
• A heart tattoo depicting your family group 
• A matching tattoo with family members 
• An adorable family tattoo such as baby hands or feet 
• An infinity family tattoo 

What is the universal tattoo symbol for family? 

There is no universal symbol for family, however there are numerous positions and tattoo styles a man can incorporate into their body art to recognize the people closest to them. 

For some, something simple like names of loved ones, and in the case of children their date of birth, are very popular. The growth in the portraiture style of tattooing means there are a lot more family photos transferred into tattoos as well, and quotes about family are also used often. 

Where do I put my family tattoo? 

In terms of positioning, men often emblazon their family tattoos across their chest to exemplify how close to their heart they are, while the inside forearm or elsewhere within general line of sight or other considerably effective placements. 

What animal tattoo symbolizes family? 

There are numerous animals a person can depict in family tattoo design due to the strength of their bond. 

Lions have a recognizable familial bond and are often incorporated into family tattoos. Wolves too are heavily utilized as they are a pack traveling unit with clearly defined leadership and order. 

An Elephant family tattoo is also popular due to their protective instincts when the herd is threatened, or the timeless images of them traveling trunk to tail in family groups across the wilderness. 

Where do I place my family tattoo? 

Men often emblazon their family tattoos across their chest to exemplify how close to their heart they are, while an outer forearm tattoo or elsewhere within general line of sight are other considerably effective placements. 

For a woman, the wrist and inner forearm tattoo are popular positions for that meaningful family tattoo, while the lower leg/ankle and shoulder tattoo positions also depict the idea of family love and can be covered or displayed with ease. 

Did you enjoy these family tattoo design ideas? If you’re looking for different family tattoos idea and inspiration, then click on the links to more of our beautiful tattoo galleries: 

• Top 78 Mom and Daughter Tattoo Ideas 
• Simple Anchor Tattoo Ideas 
• Tree Tattoo Design Ideas 
• Infinity Symbol Tattoo Ideas 
• Traditional Mom Tattoo Ideas 
• Top 89 Sister Tattoo Concepts 
• Arrow Tattoo Ideas 
• Quote Tattoo Designs