The art of tattooing has been around for centuries, with evidence showing that it occurred as early as the fourth century BC. For indigenous cultures, tattooing is ceremonial, highlighting one’s connection to their family, society and how they view the world.
Today, tattoos have become mainstream and only continue to grow in popularity, as more and more people see them as a permanent form of artistic expression. Tattoos can be used to immortalize a loved one, make a memory permanent or serve as a daily mantra for the tattooed individual.
And because they’re permanent, most people want to find a meaningful tattoo design that they’ll enjoy looking at every day. From small meaningful tattoos to simple family etchings, we gathered 31 symbolic tattoo designs that just may inspire you to pick up the phone and call your local tattoo artist.