Symbols That Represent Family for Tattoos & More

Whether you’re thinking about getting a tattoo that honors your family or you’re simply looking for interesting family imagery, there are so many options out there. Here, we’ll take a look at the most interesting, meaningful, and dynamic options out there so that you can find the perfect symbol to represent you and your loved ones. We even met with tattoo artists and iconography experts to see what they think the most essential family symbols are!

Symbols That Mean Family

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An illustration featuring various types of symbols for family.

Some of the most popular symbols for family include family trees, Celtic symbols (like the Dara knot and the triskelion), family silhouettes, and stick figures, and homes, dates, or coordinates that hold personal value to the family it represents.

Section 1 of 13:

Family Trees

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A family tree (or genealogical tree) is simply a visual representation of a family’s ancestry. Since family trees tend to literally “branch out” from a common ancestor, the metaphor is right there. Here are some fun ideas:
- An old-school family tree where you label each individual branch with a name.
- A family tree where you choose the species of tree based on where your family is from (i.e. a downy birch for Ireland, an olive tree for Greece).
- A unique tree where each branch contains a fruit, bird, or symbol to correspond with the person it’s meant to represent.
- A family tree where the roots are visible and branch out to reflect the family members who have passed on.
Meet the wikiHow Experts

John Paul Gomez is an ancient symbols expert who specializes in Masonic iconography and symbology.

María Fernández González is a tattoo artist with years of experience helping design powerful tattoos based on complex symbols and ideas.

Section 2 of 13:

Celtic Symbols

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The Celts were a mysterious and complex group of people from prehistoric Ireland, and they left behind a lot of fascinating symbols and icons. If you’re Irish or have Western European roots, a Celtic knot can be a great way to symbolize your connectedness.
An extremely popular Celtic knot variation based on the root system of an oak tree. It is often said to represent endurance and resilience.
A Welsh version of a Celtic knot that is meant to portray the connection between multiple people.
An iconic Celtic knot that represents life, death, rebirth, and the eternal power of the connection between family members.
You might combine the family tree idea with the Celtic Zodiac’s iconography, since it is based primarily on plants.
This is a really fascinating design that reflects a respect for ancestry and your family’s place in the universe.

Section 3 of 13:

Stock Family Silhouettes

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You know those generic “man” and “woman” symbols that go on bathroom doors, crosswalks, and gender signs? They’re a perfect and very straightforward way to depict your family. You might illustrate every member of your family using these little depictions.

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Home-Related Iconography

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They say home is where the family is, so why not symbolize your family with where you live? This is an especially good option if you have a storied family home that has been carried through multiple generations, or if there’s an important vacation home where you and your extended family regularly meet.
- A home is also a great metaphor for a family as a whole. There’s a foundation (the elders), the framing (the parents), and the smaller rooms inside (the children). It’s all a very neat and clean image to stand in for a family.
- Tattoo artist María Fernández González says that childhood homes are especially popular ways to honor a family. She also says specific landscapes are also popular.^{[1]
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  María Fernández González
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Section 5 of 13:

Dates

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Calendar dates are one of the most popular ways to symbolize important people while memorializing and honoring their history. For family symbols, you could use dates for each family member’s birthday.
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Parents' first date Alternatively, you could also use the day your parents gave birth to their first child. This would be a great way to honor the family’s origin story.
- Any key date to celebrate a major event in the family’s history.
If your family has moved to another country, you could mark the momentous and generational decision with the date your family’s ancestors emigrated to your current country.

Section 6 of 13:

Viking Symbols

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The Vikings were infamous for developing really powerful and stunning iconography and symbols, and there are tons of fascinating runes you could use to inform a tattoo or symbol that represents your family. The ingwaz is the Viking rune of family harmony. It symbolizes the growth of generations and where the family is going as a unit.^{[2]
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Ancient symbols expert John Paul Gomez says the Yggdrasil, which is the Norse tree of life, is a great symbol of connectedness with one another.^{[3]
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John Paul Gomez
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The iconic othala symbol is a Viking rune meant to stand in for ancestral values and inheritance.
The Norse compass, called the vegvisir, is a symbol of protection that can reflect a family’s promise to take care of one another.

Section 7 of 13:

Locations

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If dates honor the “when” of a family, geographical coordinates can reflect the “where.” González says that you could combine multiple elements together to cover all of your bases, but it’s also kind of poignant to just use the coordinates of an important location on their own, too.^{[4]
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María Fernández González
Tattoo Artist

Expert Interview} For example:
- You could use the latitude and longitude of your family home.
- The major intersection closest to the family home could be a fun, expressive idea.
- An overhead view of the street layout where your family grew up, with little stars or marks to indicate where people lived, might be perfect.
- You could honor everybody in your family by listing the coordinates associated with each person’s place of birth.

Section 8 of 13:

Sacred Geometry

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In many ways, families are all about symmetry, shape, and order. There’s the pair of parents, the reflection of the parents in the children, the echo of the grandparents in the parents. It lines up quite nicely with the idea of sacred geometry—the belief that certain shapes and ratios are fundamental to the universe.^{[5]
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Research source} A mandala is a great option, as it reflects the different generations that have permeated from your family’s origin.
The egg of life depicts seven circles and references fertility and new life. It’s a fun way to reference multiple siblings, cousins, or children.
Gomez says the vesica piscis (meaning “union of worlds”) is a great way to honor family, children, and parents.^{[6]
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John Paul Gomez
Ancient Symbols Expert

Expert Interview} It’s a powerful symbol that contains a lot of varied meanings.

Section 9 of 13:

Puzzle Pieces

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The members of a family complete one another the same way pieces of a puzzle all fit together to display an image. If you’re thinking about getting family tattoos or you want a kind of sweet way to symbolize how equally important every member of your family is, puzzle pieces are the perfect metaphor.

Section 10 of 13:

Pacific Islander Symbols

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Like the Celts and Vikings, many Polynesian/Pacific Islander cultures have crafted beautiful and deep symbols that mean family. Here are some of the most interesting and powerful options:^{[7]
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Research source} Braided rope is an important symbol in Polynesian tradition; the individual strand of the cord is made up of multiple individual cords woven together, which is the perfect analogy for family.
The lokahi (which looks like a trinity force symbol) represents the union of light, darkness, life, and death. It’s a powerful reminder that a family’s togetherness (in the middle) is essential to life.
The ani ata is a Marquesan symbol that depicts ancestors holding their arms in the air. It’s a really neat, simple design that packs a powerful visual punch.
The turtle (called a “Honu”) is a symbol of family protection and longevity. The shell supposedly references the importance of a solid home.

Section 11 of 13:

Ancient Symbols for Family

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There are a handful of really old icons and symbols from across the world that can be used to symbolize a family. These can be really explicit references or more general ways to honor your family. The yin and yang can represent the masculine and feminine energy of a sister and brother, or stand in for the fiery energy and peaceful love that exists between members of a family.
The hamsa hand is a Middle Eastern symbol that is often used to ward off the “evil eye,” but the five fingers can also represent the five members of a family.
An ankh is an ancient Egyptian precursor to the crucifix. On its face, it represents life, but it can also be used to symbolize the collective life force of a family.

Section 12 of 13:

Stick Figures

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You know those little stick figure families you often see etched or stuck on the back of a windshield to represent all the members of a family? There’s nothing wrong with using that! It’s a clear way to symbolize a family and won’t leave any room for confusion when people look at the image.

Section 13 of 13:

Personification of Family Name

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The odds are very high that your family name actually means something, so you could always use a depiction of the name’s inspiration as a symbol for your family. This option allows you to come up with something truly personalized and unique, which is great if you’re doing something like getting a tattoo to honor your family. If you aren’t sure where your last name comes from, look it up online. Here are a few examples:
- Say your family name is “Miller.” This name comes from Middle English, and it refers to someone who worked at a grain mill. You might use a grain silo, a mug of mead, or a wheat plant to symbolize the name.
- If your family name were “Patel,” it comes from a landowning farmer who was in charge of their village. You could use a crown, a farming tool, or an agricultural symbol to stand in for the name.
- For the last name “Rossi,” you’d find that the name is a reference to the color red; you could use a bottle of red wine or a red sun to signify the family.