A crown tattoo meaning connects to royalty, nobility, and strength while also being positively associated with wealth, victory, and accomplishment.
The laurel wreath, the Celtic Claddagh, and the crown of thorns all carry great alternative notions of victory, power, and sacrifice, however, a royal crown tattoo may also have ties to the Latin Kings criminal gang and wider prison culture.
Today’s embellished crown tattoos are symbolic of power and prestige that can be linked to other secondary concepts or application styles that accentuate the idea of nobility (whether for a person, nation, or religion).
Crowns aren’t just for men, they don’t just have to be “kingly,” and make an excellent woman’s tattoo or concept for couples as well.
Check out the following variations of the crown tattoo symbol and application styles that you can apply to your own design concept that help tell your story of ink on skin.
Symbolic Crown Tattoo Meanings
1. Matching Couple Crown Tattoos
Dedicated couples often get a matching crown tattoo. King crown tattoo and Queen crown tattoo designs are generally similar but individualized to show affection for each other and that you are your own royal power.
A couples tattoo crown is a visual interpretation of being linked, proudly worn on the skin, and found often in a strikingly visible position such as the fingers, hand, or wrist tattoo).
They serve as reminders of what binds people in a relationship together. For the romantic couple, a small crown tattoo piece is a classic his and hers matching tattoo choice.
2. Crown and Lion Tattoo Designs
No animal approaches the lion in regards to the tattoo symbol of royal power, which is why you’ll see a lot of crown tattoo ideas.
Not only has the United Kingdom flown the lion crown symbol on its flags and coat of arms for centuries, but the beast itself is also chief among royalty in the animal kingdom.
Velvet crowns tattooed on a lion’s head can indicate a regal bearing and noble nature. The male lion is the King of the Jungle, no king is fit to rule without a crown.
3. Claddagh Tattoos
A popular symbol in Celtic Culture, the Claddagh tattoo meaning stems from a connection to love and friendship.
Claddagh ink showcases deep bonds of the heart, and its forcefully sentimental impact has been around for centuries, meshing a royal crown with a joyous heart.
This benevolent symbol transcends cultural barriers to reveal serious emotional depth. It’s one of the most potent declarations of kinship imaginable. As a result, many couples get matching Claddagh tattoos with precious stones in lieu of engagement rings or wedding bands.
The crown is exceedingly masculine, while the heart is round and feminine to form a clever personal display for showing off a connection to both your male and female sides.
4. Simba/Lion King Crown Tattoo Meanings
A Simba tattoo crown represents the way the wearer identifies with the powerful and positive characteristics of the little lion cub that became King of the Jungle.
Most people choose a Simba crown tattoo because they love the Lion King and/or Disney movies and the lessons about friendship, family, loyalty, and determination that run throughout the film.
Being able to refer to an uplifting moral code is a feature of every Disney movie that resonates with all different types of tattoo collectors.
Gang and Prison Tattoo Meanings
5. The Latin Kings Crown
Image Sources: Wikimedia Commons, Javier Ramirez via Wikimedia Commons CC BY SA 3.0
The five-pointed crown is the symbol of the Latin Kings gang, which is one of the biggest Hispanic gangs in the U.S.A. The crown symbol will often be accompanied by the letters ALKN, which stands for Almighty Latin Kings Nation.
The Latin Kings gang has a huge presence – they’re estimated to be a larger force on the ground than rival Cali-Mexican gangs the Nortenos and Surenos.
Other parts of the crown, such as precious stones and points, often denote rank or positions within the gang, while imagery may also involve a skull.
Other gang and prison tattoo depictions heavily associated with the Latin Kings include the three dots tattoo, the quincunx (five dots), the Pachuco Cross, and the teardrop tattoo.
Alternative Crown Tattoos
6. Jesus and the Crown of Thorns
Sparkling jeweled royal crown tattoos are hugely popular, but they aren’t the only type of crown tattoo with significant symbolism for tattoo lovers.
Ink is generally no longer considered subversive for Christians, so worshippers are finally getting Jesus tattoos in a variety of styles.
The Jesus and Crown of Thorns design is one of the most popular depictions, allowing collectors to get body art contrasting Jesus’ nobility with the suffering he took to save mankind.
A Jesus crown of thorns design may also tie in with other religious elements or be part of survivor’s ink.
7. Laurel Wreath Crown Tattoos
The practice of presenting laurel wreaths to victors dates back to the Greek myth of Apollo, where he was shown with a wreath on his head, some of the earliest and most recognizable depictions of crowns.
The Laurel wreath is still used today (for degrees, awards, sports, and business), thus making a cool crown tattoo design for many.
In Ancient Greece, laurel wreaths were given to victors in competition, especially those who won in the Olympics. They were also given to winners at poet meets, debates, and other scholarly competitions.
In ancient Rome, laurel wreaths were reserved for military victors who returned from battle.
8. Queen of Hearts Tattoos
A popular female-centric crown tattoo is the Queen of Hearts.
Most queen tattoo symbols involve love and passion – the queen is master of her love life and in control of her heart (and others too).
Other queen tattoo symbols are linked to various playing cards or characters from film and music, such as depictions from various adaptations of Alice in Wonderland.
Crown Tattoo Meanings in Application and Placement
9. Crown Tattoo Versatility
Crowns can be very versatile in application style and level of decoration. They look great in black ink, grayscale, or color, as stand-alone designs or part of larger art pieces, and can look good when etched on just about any part of the body.
Crowns can be contemporary art designs, old school pieces, or made to look exactly like the riches of crown jewels from various countries (such as England for example).
They are also simple religious pieces representing the sacrifice of Jesus, or the laurel wreath of Antiquity.
10. Small Crown Tattoo Meanings
For some people, body art is best used as a subtle reminder of the things important to them, and a small crown tattoo is a great way to commemorate the symbolic meaning.
Sometimes it’s the small pieces that speak the loudest, allowing your crown tattoo design to be inked discreetly while remaining in full sight (such as a crown hand tattoo), or suitable for your personal aesthetic.
Others prefer a small crown tattoo crafted with great detail by a tattoo artist using precision line work and shading. This can often mean it’s more expensive for its size in comparison to other crown tattoo ideas.
11. Traditional Crown Tattoo Meanings
An American traditional crown tattoo can symbolize different things to old school tattoo lovers, including power and wealth, royalty, nobility and care, or reference a religious symbol.
Whether you are paying homage to someone you admire or respect, acknowledging Jesus, the King of the Jungle, or just think you’re king of your own domain, a cool crown tattoo can be a strong statement to make when etched in the traditional style.
12. Realistic Crown Tattoos
Realism (or photorealism style) tattoos are designs meant to look as convincing as a photographed image, and a crown tattoo pops up a lot in this style of design.
Realism differs from other more expansive styles – such as New Wave or Dark Surrealism – primarily because the key to the design is transferring a real image onto the skin as accurately as possible.
Realism body art featuring a crown most often comes from lion and crown portrait style tattoos, jeweled crowns from museum collections, or those found on flags, coats of arms, and/or currency.
13. Crown Chest Tattoos
The crown is often utilized as a chest tattoo, as the concept of “crown and country” is near and dear to many people’s hearts as a source of national and personal pride.
If you’re getting a crown tattoo, the chest is also a versatile placement option. It can be covered up for work and formal occasions, and generally hurts less than feet, hands, or other areas where the skin is closer to the bone and nerve centers.
More importantly for some, the chest and collar bone can be an ideal spot for the only piece you will get. If you think you may only want one tattoo in your life, a precision crown chest tattoo piece by a top-class tattoo artist is a great way to sport meaningful body art.
14. Visible Crown Tattoo Art
The crown tattoo is also a popular design when used in visible tattoo designs.
You’ll find contemporary visible art is a good home for a crown concept, such as a wrist tattoo, crown neck tattoo, or even small pieces on the hands or fingers.
The emergence of religious symbols also means that crown of thorns ink, the cross, and Jesus-related imagery are used a lot more in visible tattoo art without drawing as much ire as they did in the past.
