50 Family Tree Tattoo Design Ideas

Family tree tattoos are one of the greatest ways to show off your pride, love, and respect for your family. As every family is unique in itself, there is a lot of room for creativity here that allows you to get a stunning tattoo design for you that will never go out of style.

There are tons of other deep and meaningful ways to show off your family tree with a tattoo. Perhaps the most interesting thing about family tree tattoos is that as the family grows the branches on the tree can grow too, and there is no limit to the number of ways you can show off your pride with a family tree tattoo.

Why Get a Family Tree Tattoo?

A family tree tattoo allows the wearer to express their individuality and familial roots. Each branch of the family tree tattoo design can represent a different family member and the trunk of the tree can symbolize the family as a whole. The roots, on the other hand, can represent parentage or embody other unique qualities of the family. All of this makes a family tree tattoo more meaningful and important to the wearer because it signifies who they are and reflects on how they are attached to their family.

Family tree tattoos can also be a meaningful way to honor a family member who has passed away. Some family tree tattoo design ideas feature the branches as different family members that the wearer has lost, while others include fallen leaves to commemorate the departed loved ones. No matter how the tattoo design represents the loss, it can be a subtle way to express how they always provided shelter and solace for the family.

Choosing a family tree tattoo can also hold significant personal meaning. The tree in the tattoo design can be a symbol of the personality and character of the wearer, whereas adding quotes or text to the design can make it more unique.

For instance, an oak tree tattoo can represent strength, knowledge, and courage, and denote how the wearer embodies those traits to care for their family members. Likewise, family tree tattoos also allow adding other elements to symbolize the wearer’s personal interests or innate qualities.

Things to Remember When Getting a Family Tree Tattoo

Choosing the right tattoo design is always crucial because it will be a permanent part of you for the rest of your life. Some family tree tattoo design ideas can be scaled to any size to accommodate your specific needs and styling preferences. Yet there are others, which only look good when they are more elaborate. So you will need to make your choice based on the placement of the tattoo, the design elements you want to include, as well as how large you want the family tree to be.

Note that even if you are planning to get a family tree tattoo inked to represent your entire family tree, it does not have to be a complicated or large design. There are many designs that will fit everyone in the family tree tattoo without making it look sophisticated. Yet again, it is always better to have a clear idea of how many family members you want to honor in your tattoo to decide the right design and placement for the family tree tattoo. Generally, a larger family tree tattoo is recommended to include names or quotes in the tattoo design. However, this also depends upon your personal tastes.

If you are still confused with where to start, check out the below top 50 family tree tattoo design ideas to start brainstorming. You can then consult with your tattoo artist to determine the right details and proper placement for the tattoo design that catches your eye.

1. Dark Family Tree Tattoo With Names

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This is one of the iconic family tree tattoo designs. It features the names of your family members in negative space within the bare branches of the family tree. The dense trunk of the tree can symbolize your strong bonds with each other, while adding the name of your family name near the base of the tree can subtly honor your lineage.

2. Red and Yellow Family Tree Tattoo

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If you are looking to add a splash of color to your family tree tattoo design, then this one will suit your needs perfectly. The interplay of red and yellow colors in this tattoo give it a warm feeling, while the roots forming a heart shape further elevate its appeal. As the branches are bare in this tattoo design, you can add as many names of your family members as you like on the tree.

3. Family Tree Tattoo With Colorful Leaves

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This is a graceful and elegant family tree tattoo design that has different colored leaves to represent different family members. The leaves falling from the tree can stand for new members in the family or honor departed loved ones.

Including the quote, “our roots run deep” gives the tattoo a more meaningful touch by expressing how everyone in your family is connected despite growing in different directions with different colors. You can also customize the color of the leaves to symbolize the personal qualities of different family members.

4. Family Tree Tattoo With Symbolic Elements

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This is one of the most uniquely customizable family tree tattoo design ideas that you can think of. Unlike a traditional family tree, this tattoo features multiple elements like the Sagittarius zodiac sign, a lotus, an infinity symbol, a heart shape, and a tree in an illustrative family crest design that connects all of them together.

The different elements in this tattoo design can be changed to represent different family members while adding to the symbolic meaning of the tattoo. Meanwhile, the words “family” and “love” included in this unique tattoo idea will make it more significant to you.

5. Extending Branch Family Tattoo

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Your family tree tattoo does not always have to be a full-blown tree—it can also be illustrated in many other ways to honor your loved ones. This tattoo design, for instance, is inked as an extending branch with the names of your family members included in the blank spaces between the twigs. This can show how your immediate family is part of a larger family unit, or simply represent your ties with a few special family members.

6. Family Tree Tattoo With Birds

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This is a simple family tree tattoo design that features the family members as birds flying over the family tree. The dove outline above the tree and other birds can represent a loved one that you have lost recently, and show how they will always be there looking after the family as a guardian angel.

The dove silhouette can also symbolize your connection with God and express the heavenly protection that your family has always received from God.

7. Watercolor Painted Family Tree Tattoo

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This watercolor painted tattoo design follows the same concept of having different color leaves on the same tree as with the Family Tree Tattoo With Colorful Leaves, but with an artistic touch. Instead of detailed leaves it adds a splash of colors on the tree to represent the diversity of the family and make the design bolder.

8. Family Tree Tattoo With Paw Prints

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This tattoo features wooden banners on the tree with the names of your family members along with tiny paw prints inked near the roots to honor your beloved pets. That design can be scaled with more wooden boards or paw prints to fit your furry family.

This classic family tree tattoo design will also be a great choice for nature lovers, as it couples the symbolic meanings of flora and fauna in a single design. At the same time, it keeps the main theme of a family tree tattoo intact.

9. Gnarled Family Tree Tattoo

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This is another simple black and white family tree tattoo design featuring the names of your family members in handwritten fonts. As the names are included in the blank spaces between the branches and not on the tree, you can easily add as many names as you want to the tattoo.

Having the names of your parents inked near the roots will further make it look more meaningful. Likewise, it can also represent how they have always supplied all the essentials of life to you to help you grow and reach your potential.

10. Celtic Knot Family Tree Tattoo

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Celtic knots have been used for ages to decorate church monuments and add a special touch to manuscripts. They also make great tattoo designs, which can be seen in this family tree tattoo idea.

Here, the trunk of the tree is illustrated in Celtic knot-inspired design to elevate the significance and meaning of the tattoo. Similarly, the flowers and colorful leaves in the tattoo design give it more depth while representing the different family members that you want to honor.

11. Family Tree Tattoo for Couples

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If you are looking for a simple tattoo design to celebrate your newly-started family, then this one can be a great choice to meet your needs. In this design, your and your partner’s names are inked in beautiful calligraphy font over a blossoming tree.

It can be a simple way to remember your family commitments and cherish your new relationship, while also giving you space to add the names of your children as your family grows.

12. Dreamcatcher Family Tree Tattoo

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Dreamcatchers have been used as protective talismans in Native American cultures for centuries. This makes it a great tattoo design to honor your familial roots and symbolize the protection you have always enjoyed under your parents.

This dreamcatcher tattoo features the names of your siblings on the feathers attached to the loop, while a tree silhouette is inked inside the ring. It can represent strength and life to add more significance to your family tree tattoo design.

13. Minimalist Family Tree Tattoo

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This minimalist tattoo design can be customized in any way you want to commemorate your loved ones. It features a slender pine tree with three dots near the bottom of the trunk.

The dots in this tattoo can represent the family members you have lost but can also be seen as an ellipsis, showing that life must go on no matter how challenging things might be.

14. Abstract Family Tree Tattoo With Hearts

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If you are not that fond of intricate tattoo designs but want a simple family tree tattoo, then this one will suit your needs well. This elegant tattoo features the outline of a tree with the branches and names of the family members forming adorable heart shapes. This gives you a fashionable tattoo that you can flaunt with pride anywhere you go.

15. Floral Vine Family Tree Tattoo

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This beautiful floral tattoo can be a great option to try if you want to go with a non-traditional look when inking a family tree. Here, the floral vine wraps around the names of your family members and their birthdates, forming a tiny heart shape at the top. You can also add more flowers and floral accents to this tattoo design to give it a personalized touch.

16. Heart-Shaped Family Tattoo

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If you liked how the understated Minimalist Family Tree Tattoo honors your family but wanted something even more simplistic, then this look could be an excellent option for you.

This tattoo connects the names of your family members in a heart shape to represent how you cherish your bonds with your family. Adding tiny hearts alongside the handwritten names can make the tattoo look cute, too.

17. Anchor and Ribbon Family Tree Tattoo

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It is said that “family is an anchor during rough waters,” and this tattoo design perfectly embodies that saying while allowing you to honor those who have always kept you anchored no matter how high the tides were.

Along with the symbolic meanings that an anchor carries, such as safety, strength, and security, this tattoo design also gives you a unique family tree tattoo design to commemorate your lost loved ones.

18. Black and Gray Family Tree Tattoo

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This is another traditional-style family tree tattoo, but with an artistic touch. It looks as if the tree is standing under the moon with gray clouds in the background.

The roots can be seen running deep to represent your connection to the past while the lush branches can symbolize the growth and blossoming of your family. On top of that, this tattoo design also allows you to add as many names of your family members in the tattoo as you want.

19. Matryoshka Dolls Family Tree Tattoo

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Russian nesting dolls, or Matryoshka dolls, have long been associated with family and fertility in Russia and many other parts of the world. They represent a mother carrying a child within her, which makes this tattoo a truly unique idea for honoring the women in your family. This distinctive family tree tattoo can also signify how the women in your family have passed on the their legacy to children for generations.

20. Family Tree Tattoo With Hearts and Birds

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This family tree tattoo design gives you a lot of options to express your ideas and create a masterpiece. The birds flying above the tree can represent your family members who have grown to start their personal journeys, while the heart shapes on the trees can symbolize their nests and reflect on the protection that you as a family always enjoyed.

Inking the names of your family members inside the tiny hearts on the tree lets you give it a personal touch.

21. Family Tree Tattoo With Wooden Boards

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This tattoo design features a bare tree with banners and wooden boards that carry the names of your loved ones. The black and white design of this family tree tattoo gives it a old-fashioned feel, while allowing you to focus on the texture of the tree and neatly etched names. You can also accentuate the appeal of this tattoo by adding some floral elements to the design.

22. Colorful Family Tree Tattoo With Initials

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If you want a simple yet colorful family tree tattoo, then this one will meet your needs perfectly. The tree silhouette is flawlessly highlighted by the interplay of colors, which can represent different members of your family.

This tattoo design also features initials instead of inking the full names, making it a unique emblem that you can scale to suit any part of your body. It can even stand toe-to-toe with the best small wrist tattoos.

23. Cherry Blossom Family Tree Tattoo

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This tattoo design follows a similar style of having a branch of the family tree inked instead of a full-size tree as seen in the Extending Branch Family Tattoo.

Here, the bright colors of the cherry blossom tree make the tattoo design look more bold and attractive while also adding to the meaning of the tattoo. Cherry blossoms represent a time of renewal and the passing of time, which makes this family tree tattoo an elegant option to honor your deceased family members.

24. Family Tree Tattoo With Carved Heart

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This is a cute family tree tattoo design that features the names of your family members on the branches. There is also a heart carved in the tree trunk that makes the tattoo design very cute, while the initials “M+D” added inside the heart (which stand for “mom & dad”) further elevate its charm. This tattoo design can be an excellent way to express your love and affection for your parents and siblings.

25. Family Tree Tattoo With Picture Frames

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This is another great family tree tattoo design, which features picture frames with the initials of your loved ones instead of inking the full names. There is a bird sitting on the bare tree as well, which can represent a family member you have lost. If you have this tattoo design inked on your upper back you can even make it large enough to accommodate the portraits of your family members inside the picture frames as well.

26. Simplistic Family Tree Tattoo

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If you wanted something uncomplicated and simple like the Heart-Shaped Family Tattoo but want to give it a modern twist, then try this family tree tattoo idea. Here, the names of your family members are written in a cursive font inside the outline of a tree. It is a basic design and can be ideal for those who prefer keeping things simple.

27. Mandala-Inspired Family Tree Tattoo

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Mandala tattoo designs are all the rage these days because of their symbolic meanings and attractive appeal. Mandala designs can also be customized to suit your varied needs, and that is perfectly portrayed in this family tree tattoo design.

This tattoo features colorful leaves and curled roots that appear as if they are part of a mandala design. This gives it a unique touch that doesn’t form any kind of simple symmetrical pattern. The names of your family members running along the tree trunk can further customize this elegant tattoo.

28. Family Tree Tattoo With Anatomical Heart

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Inking anatomical hearts is one of the newest trends in the tattoo industry. This family tree tattoo design couples that with a bare tree, which has a banner wrapped around with the names of your family members. The roots of the tree wind down into the anatomical heart to express how deeply you as a family are connected, and there is also a DNA strand underneath to represent that family means everything to you in life.

29. Compass-Inspired Family Tree Tattoo

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This is a unique tattoo idea that honors your familial bonds with a compass-inspired design. The initials inked in the tattoo design can represent your family members, while adding a tiny tree on the compass can symbolize your parents or grandparents, which can represent the guidance and protection that you as a family enjoyed under your elders.

30. Traditional Family Tree Tattoo

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This graceful and neatly-designed family tree tattoo features the names of your loved ones in cursive fonts that swirl to form the leaves at the end. It is a simple tattoo design, but it takes an interesting turn with the roots forming a heart shape.

Inking the names of your parents inside the heart can be a great way to represent how they have nurtured the family and ensured that everyone grows in love.

31. Tree of Life Family Tattoo

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The tree of life is one of the most popular tattoo designs that can symbolize a lot of things such as wisdom, endurance, loyalty, longevity, and strong family ties.

This tattoo merges the symbolism of the tree of life with an expressive art featuring bright stars and dots in a circular design that can represent your family members. Unlike the usual tree of life tattoo designs, this tattoo allows the tree to grow beyond the circle, making it a unique piece to flaunt.

32. Bird and Flowers Family Tree Tattoo

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This is another variant of the Floral Vine Family Tree Tattoo design, which features a small bird holding the floral vine in its beak. The bird can represent your ancestry while giving your tattoo the added symbolic meanings of self-direction, freedom, and independence.

Uniquely, instead of inking names this tattoo design adds the birth year of your family members along with their birth flowers to give the tattoo a distinctive appeal.

33. Wildlife-Inspired Family Tree Tattoo

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If you are a wildlife admirer, then this family tree tattoo will totally justify your love for animals. Besides, this tattoo design also gives you a unique way to honor the spirit animal of your siblings and show how you long to embody the characters that those animals symbolize.

The tree in this tattoo design is illustrated as a woman providing shelter to all the animals. Moreover, the names of the family members are etched right beneath their spirit animals. This can be a subtle way to express how you are connected as a family despite having different natural qualities.

34. Gothic-Inspired Family Tree Tattoo

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If you have a particular liking for gothic art, then this family tree tattoo design will be just the thing for you. This one features a gnarled tree with bare branches and the names of your family members in gothic font. The design is pretty simple and does not involve any intricate detailing, but you can add a shadowy effect to this tattoo to give it more depth and achieve a darker tone.

35. Unalome-Inspired Family Tree Tattoo

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An Unalome is a Buddhist symbol that represents one’s spiritual journey and can signify many things like wisdom, spiritual enlightenment, or harmony. This family tree tattoo merges the Unalome symbol in a dreamcatcher-like design to give you a meaningful and appealing tattoo.

The names of the family members are inked in graceful fonts in a circular design around the tree at the center, and dots on the top can represent the loss of a loved one.

36. Family Tree Tattoo With Heart and Moon

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This family tree tattoo is an artistic piece that features a full moon to symbolize fulfillment, spiritual clarification, or the realization of your desires while creating a stunning background for the overall design.

Similar to many of the traditional family tree tattoos, this one also features the names of your siblings inked over the branches and the family name beneath the tree. However, it replaces the roots with a real heart like in the Family Tree Tattoo With Anatomical Heart design to powerfully express how your family is the source of your life.

37. Family Tree Tattoo With Sacred Geometry

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This is an artistic family tree tattoo design inspired by sacred geometry, which is considered the blueprint of creation in many cultures. It states that all natural patterns of growth are related to one or more geometric shapes. This gives your tattoo a deeper meaning apart from honoring your family.

The different colors in this family tree tattoo can represent different family members, while the dots below the geometrical shape can honor the loved ones you have lost.

Adding a banner wrapped around the roots of the tree with the birth years of your family members gives it an added dimension. Meanwhile, the dotted circle on top can symbolize fulfillment, knowledge, or peace.

38. Mother and Child Family Tree Tattoo

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If you are looking for a tattoo idea to honor your mother, then this one will be an ideal choice to suit your desires. This family tree tattoo features a slender tree illustrated as a woman, who is holding her children by her side while providing shelter to them.

This emblematic tattoo design can speak a thousand words about how your mother has always offered you protection under her loving care, allowing you to grow to become who you are.

39. Family of Birds Tattoo

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This is a cute tattoo design that takes the unconventional route of honoring your family tree. Here, four birds representing your family members are painted sitting on a tiny branch of your family tree. The highlight of the tattoo is the cute hearts on the silhouette and the bigger heart at the end of the tree branch. These hearts not only makes the tattoo look adorable, but also speak volumes of the love and affection you have for your family.

40. Pine Tree Family Tattoo

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Pine trees are often associated with longevity, wisdom, loyalty, and good fortune, which give this family tree tattoo a deeper meaning. The overall design of this tattoo is quite simple, with the names of your family members inked across the crown where the branches start. However, the roots of the tree are replaced by a heart shape, which includes the names of your parents. This creates a subtle twist on the classic family heart tattoo design and makes it look more distinct and unique.

41. Family Tree Tattoo With Little Hearts

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If you wanted to give a colorful touch to the standard bare tree tattoo design like that seen in the Dark Family Tree Tattoo, then go for this one. Here, tiny red hearts are attached to the branches where the names of your family members are etched to give it a cute appeal. Moreover, the shadow of the tree is painted in a blue color instead of an understated gray to give it a more vibrant look.

42. Coconut Palm Family Tree Tattoo

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Coconut palms have been providing food, clothing, and shelter to humans for ages, which makes it a great tree to symbolize the importance of family. This tattoo design embodies all the qualities of a coconut tree while giving you a unique idea to express your love for your family.

The names of your family members are etched gracefully on the coconut palm branches, while a cute little heart is carved on the tree trunk to represent your parents. The coconuts on the tree also have initials that can correspond to your children. This makes it one of the most versatile family tree tattoo design ideas to honor your entire family.

43. Family Tree Tattoo With Clock

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This is a truly unique family tree tattoo design that features a huge clock replacing the crown of the tree. There are no branches on the tree: instead, the dial on the clock can be customized with birth years to represent each of your family members. On top of that, the tree trunk in this tattoo design also forms a face that can represent your parents and symbolize the support they’ve given you.

44. Family Tree Tattoo With Stars and Butterflies

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This family tree tattoo is another great example of how you can personalize the design to meet your styling needs and preferences. It features butterflies on the tree to represent your family members, instead of simply inking their names or initials. The stars on the tree can represent the loved ones you have lost while expressing that they will always be remembered as an important part of the family. As a clever touch, the roots of the trees form little hearts and can represent your parents and honor their loving care for the family.

45. Black & White Family Tree Tattoo

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This is a simplistic family tree tattoo where the focus is kept on the names of the family members instead of creating an intricate tree design. Here, the family name forms the tree trunk while the names of your siblings are inked on the blank spaces between the bare branches. Also, the roots of the tree are replaced by a heart shape with the word “family” printed on it to elevate the overall impact of the design.

46. Simple Symbolic Family Tree Tattoo

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If you like the Simplistic Family Tree Tattoo idea but wanted something more fashionable, then this one would be a great option to consider. Here, the names of your family members are inked in a stylish font around a symbolic tree outline. This makes it a trendy accessory that you can also scale to suit your needs and fashion preferences.

47. Banner and Trees Family Tattoo

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This tattoo design gives a unique twist to the traditional-style family tree tattoos that have a banner wrapped around the family tree. Instead of a banner wrapping a big tree, this tattoo features a long banner with the birth years of your family members wrapping around multiple trees.

The different trees can represent different members of your family to make it more unique and significant for you. You can also add angel wings next to the banner and trees to commemorate the loved ones you have lost.

48. Minimalist Family Tree Tattoo With Dates

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If you are a minimalist art lover, then this family tree tattoo design will be just the thing for you. There is no “tree” in this tattoo design, but instead it features the birth years of your family members connected by dots. The cute little heart shapes included in the tattoo make it an adorable piece of modern art, while also giving you all the space needed to add more family members to the tattoo design as your family grows.

49. All-Floral Family Tree Tattoo

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If you like flowers and are looking for a unique idea to honor your family, then this all-floral family tree design will be the perfect choice for you. This tattoo design follows a non-traditional approach of representing your family members with different flowers instead of inking a big tree.

You can go with the birth flowers of your loved ones or choose any special flower that they truly admire. No matter what your choice is, the tattoo will always look stunning and symbolize your family as a bouquet of different flowers.

50. Zodiac Signs Family Tree Tattoo

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On this creative twist the zodiac signs of your family members are inked on the forearm, connected by a floral vine. While the Family Tree Tattoo With Symbolic Elements merges zodiac signs with other meaningful features, this one is made entirely with star signs to give a new dimension to your tattoo. The signs are simple and can easily be scaled, making it a versatile family tree tattoo design that can be made to perfectly fit any part of your body.

Choosing the Best Family Tree Tattoo Design for You

Deciding which family tree tattoo will be ideal for you always boils down to your personal preferences. You can choose any of the above-mentioned family tree tattoo design ideas or take one and customize it as per your desires. In any case, you can easily get an attractive and meaningful family tree tattoo that you can be proud of and flaunt will style.

You can also consult with your tattoo artist and see how you can create a striking piece of art that will suit your ideas. Besides, your tattoo artist can also offer you some good tattoo aftercare tips so that you get a long-lasting result.

Most family tree tattoos involve intricate detailing, which will only produce the desired outcome when they heal well. So make sure to apply a high-quality moisturizer cream like After Inked Non-Petroleum Jelly or INKEEZE Ink Enhance to keep the tattooed area moisturized for at least 4 to 6 weeks post-tattooing.

You should also ensure that the tattooed skin is protected from the sunlight and beach water for at least 4 weeks. It is also recommended to avoid heavy exercising that could lead to excessive sweating for around a couple of weeks.

Moreover, you should also wash the tattooed area with a gentle antibacterial soap twice a day for the first 4 to 6 weeks to prevent any infection and give you the best results. These aftercare measures will help to ensure that your family tree tattoo heals well and produces a stunning effect.

Remember that the placement of family tree tattoos will also play a big role in how it looks. For instance, intricate tattoo designs, such as the Gnarled Family Tree Tattoo, will only look great when they are done on a large area like the back, arm, or leg.

On the other hand, simple ones like the Symbolic Family Tree Tattoo can be scaled to a smaller size and inked on the forearm or wrist. Therefore, you will need to make the choice based on where you plan to place the tattoo just as much as the specifics of the design itself.