Heart Tattoos

History of Heart Tattoos

Since the early 1900s, heart tattoos have been a common selection for tattoo aficionados. As tattooing became more mainstream, it was commonplace to see men, usually sailors, sporting the typical red, round heart with "Mom" in the center. Soldiers leaving for World War II often made a trip to their local tattoo parlor to get a girlfriend's name enscribed on a heart before heading overseas. Tattooing became more than just a cosmetic rebellion for the fringes of society—it brought people closer and helped servicemen take a small part of home into battle.

Today, tattoos are custom-designed to incorporate any number of symbols, with many people developing their own heart designs. Better quality tattoo ink and the skill of tattoo artists make these a popular and personal choice for men and women of all age groups and backgrounds.

Types of Heart Tattoos

There are hundreds of variations of heart tattoos available, with even seemingly similar designs having their own unique aspects. But over the years, certain styles have come into high demand.

Sacred Heart

The Sacred Heart tat has several variations, but it typically includes a heart surrounded by thorns with a flame escaping from the top. A holy image to many Catholics, the Sacred Heart is based on artwork depicting Jesus showing his heart to Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque. People who get a Sacred Heart tattoo are typically showing a devotion to Jesus or some form of strength.

Locked Heart

Couples, hoping to share a permanent symbol of their relationship, often chose a complementary locked heart and key. While one partner gets the locked heart, his or her significant other gets a tattoo of the symbolic keys to the heart. Compared to tattoos that include a person’s name, this is a safe way to share a tattoo that will not need to be removed if the relationship ends.

Broken Heart

Sadly, the broken heart tattoo is common among people suffering from unrequited love or loss of a loved one. These tattoos often incorporate a person’s name or significant date.

Hearts with a Name

What better way to show your feelings than by having your loved ones’ name tattooed on your heart? Commonly used as a symbol of devotion among family members, a an inscribed heart is an everlasting tribute to the special people in your life.

Pierced Heart

Associated with the Sacred Heart, a heart pierced by a dagger can have many different meanings, ranging from bravery to sorrow. In either case, it usually suggests that the bearer experienced a struggle or grief.

If the heart is pierced by an arrow, it may symbolize love or passion.

Anatomical Designs

Hearts that go beyond the stereotypical symbol of love have become popular in recent years, especially among survivors of heart disease and family members of children with heart defects. These diagrams often show stitched hearts or have band-aids on them, indicating a healed heart.

Celtic Heart

Celtic tattoos with hearts include intricate knot work and bands that loop around the image. This style lends itself it to bracelet tattoos that wrap around a wrist or leg.

Choosing Your Design

Whether your tattoo will be a big, puffy, red heart with flowers or a grey sketch of Jesus with the flaming Sacred Heart, the most important thing you can do to ensure a good tattoo is to work with an experienced artist you trust. You should approach this task the same way you would look for a new doctor—make sure the person you work with listens carefully to your concerns and ideas.

If you schedule a consultation at the tattoo shop before getting the the inking done, bring along photos of artwork or other tattoos you admire. The artist should be able to make you a sketch based on your ideas or show you similar images in their gallery. Make sure you completely love the sketch before tattooing begins. No one wants to spend the rest of their life with a tat that doesn’t make them happy.