80+ Puerto Rican Tattoo Ideas to Represent Your Patriotism

From traditional designs to symbols of the culture, there are so many Puerto Rican tattoos for you to check out!

I had the opportunity to visit Puerto Rico when I was younger and I fell in love with the country, culture, and people. This is why I am always excited to meet a client who wants to express their cultural pride through their tattoo. It is also so interesting to learn about what each tattoo means.

In this post, you can discover the top Puerto Rican tattoo ideas that you can use for inspiration for your design!

The Best Puerto Rican Tattoo Ideas

Here are the top tattoo designs to consider if you are proud of your Puerto Rican roots:

Traditional Puerto Rican Tattoos

These kinds of tattoos may also be referred to as Taino Puerto Rican tattoos. And, a Taino symbol tattoo can be a great way to honor the heritage of the people who existed before the land was colonized.

So:

What is a Taino tattoo?

Well, Taino refers to the indigenous people of what are now Puerto Rico, Cuba, Jamaica, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and the Virgin Islands.

Before the Spanish conquest, the Taino people were believed to be one of the largest populations of the Caribbean. It was believed that there were between one and two million individuals.

Unfortunately, after the Spanish invaded, this number dropped drastically. Starvation, enslavement, and disease all contributed to this sad state of affairs. Many of the people who survived mixed with Spaniards, Africans, and other cultures.

This is why so little of Taino culture remains in these countries, including Puerto Rico. However, there are now efforts to restore indigenous titles and practices although a great deal has been lost to time.

If you would like to honor this element of Puerto Rican culture, then you may be thinking of getting a Puerto Rican Indian tattoo. However, what does it mean to get Puerto Rican tribal tattoos?

As I mentioned, a great deal of Taino has been lost as a result of colonization. Still, some people do believe that the Taino got tattoos although it is somewhat of a lost art.

So, you may want to consider an alternate option for Taino tribal tattoos instead. You can choose to get Puerto Rico Taino symbols instead. This is a great option if you want your Puerto Rican Indian tattoo to reflect the Arawak people and their language.

If these are the kind of Taino tribal tattoos that you want to get, remember to do your research. For the most part, there are very few people who speak Taino, let alone understand the written language. So, make sure to check with professionals as to the top Puerto Rico Taino symbols used in Taino tattoos and what they mean.

After all, the whole reason for getting Taino tribal tattoos or Taino tattoos is to honor this culture. It is important to do this in the right way with an authentic Taino Indian tattoo or Taino tribal tattoo.

There are other options available if you are considering Puerto Rican tribal tattoos. You can also choose to get different kinds of Taino tribal tattoos. Here, you can choose to get a Taino Indian tattoo that depicts an indigenous person or indigenous people. These make for excellent Puerto Rican tattoo sleeves.

Once again, make sure to do your research with such Taino tribal tattoos. Figure out what the Taino people may have looked like, what clothing and jewelry they may have worn, and if they painted their faces and bodies in specific ways.

This is the only way to make your Taino tribal tattoo as authentic as possible.

Puerto Rican Flag Tattoos

If you want to be patriotic, then a Puerto Rican flag tattoo is certainly a great way to go! Although getting the Puerto Rico flag tattoo can seem like a rather straightforward thing, there are a lot of different ways to make this tattoo work.

For instance, if you want, you can simply get a Puerto Rican flag tattoo inked on your body. You can adjust the size to have it fit in your desired location.

If you would like the flag to feel a bit more realistic, then you can add the rippling motion to make it appear as though it is waving in the wind.

Another idea to consider with your Puerto Rican flag design is to add other elements of Puerto Rican culture. This can be national symbols, the national flower, or even the frog! You should think about what images come to mind when you think of your home country and then get these design concepts next to the Puerto Rican flag.

This works well if you are considering Puerto Rican tattoo sleeves.

In case you want an even more patriotic Puerto Rican flag tattoo, then you can make it look as though the Puerto Rico flag is sitting underneath the surface of your skin. To make this Puerto Rican flag tattoo work, you can make the edges of the tattoo look like torn skin.

If you want to add realism to your Puerto Rican flag tattoo, then you should consider having strips of torn skin running down or across the flag. After all, what better way is there to show that Puerto Rico runs in your veins?

Of course, as I mentioned, a lot of modern Puerto Rican culture does come from colonialists. So, although you may want to get a Puerto Rican flag tattoo to show how patriotic you are, you may also want to include some Taino elements alongside the Puerto Rican flag.

This kind of Puerto Rico flag tattoo is a great way to showcase all sides of the Puerto Rican culture and helps you to stay true to your roots.

Puerto Rican Map Tattoos

If you want to carry a little bit of home wherever you go, then this is a nice tattoo idea for you to consider. The other great thing about this tattoo idea is that it is a pretty simple one. So, if you prefer minimalist designs for your Puerto Rican tattoo, this works well.

Another thing that I like about such Puerto Rican tattoos is that they can be made pretty small and subtle. And, so, you have a few more options in deciding where you would like them to go.

Of course, it is up to you to decide just how minimalistic your tattoo is. If you want, you can make the tattoo appear as though it is part of a realistic map. You also have the option of adding other elements associated with Puerto Rico if you like.

There are also plenty of ways to get creative with this tattoo if you want. For instance, you can outline the map and then get the Puerto Rican flag inked inside it.

If you want, you can also add some tribal or indigenous elements to it if you like.

Then, you can choose to do something completely unusual like turn the map into a mosaic! In short, there is no need to limit yourself. Work with your tattoo artist to create something truly wonderful.

Coqui Tattoos

The coqui frog of Puerto Rico is essentially an unofficial mascot of the country. For one thing, these frogs are plentiful throughout the country, their distinctive call heard across the island.

There is also a lovely legend associated with the coqui. It is believed that a beautiful goddess was in love with the Taino chief's son Coqui. Every day, as he would go fishing, she would watch over him and bless him with a good catch.

When he came back to shore, Coqui would sing the goddess praises. One day, the goddess took on a human form so that she and Coqui could be together for a brief period.

Unfortunately, Coqui was killed in a storm and so, the goddess created a frog that would cry out his name so that she could remember him forever.

You can choose to get a realistic representation of the frog for your Puerto Rico tattoo or you can get the Taino symbol for it instead.

Flor de Maga Tattoos

If you prefer a subtle and beautiful Puerto Rican tattoo, then you may want to consider getting one of the national flowers of Puerto Rico - the Flor de Maga.

This floral design is a beautiful and vibrant Puerto Rican tattoo, much like the country itself. I also love that it has a bright and festive feel to it and is perfect if you want a cheerful Puerto Rico tattoo.

Now, the thing to keep in mind with this Puerto Rican tattoo is that the Flor de Maga is quite similar to the hibiscus flower. However, these are two separate species.

So, for Puerto Rican tattoos such as these, make sure that you are giving your tattoo artist the right design. It can be helpful to understand the differences between these two flowers to ensure that you are getting an authentic design.

If you want to get a sleeve tattoo for your Puerto Rico tattoo, then you can consider adding other design elements to the flower. This can include other cultural symbols of Puerto Rico.

If you don't mind doing something a bit different, you can get a skull tattoo alongside the flower. Such Puerto Rico tattoos can be a great way to show how deep your pride runs.

Vejigante Tattoos

If you are looking for Puerto Rican tattoos that represent the culture of the country, then you may want to consider getting vejigante tattoos inked on you.

Vejigante masks are worn during Carnivale. There are two distinct styles for these Vejigante masks. One hails from Spain and is based on the Spaniards' defeat of the Moors. The second comes from a Northern city in Puerto Rico known as Ponce. These masks are associated with the Feast of Santiago.

Although these masks are typically associated with mischief, fun, and revelry. They are also a symbol of Puerto Rico and its history. As such, many people also see these masks as a symbol of resistance, resilience, and cultural pride and identity.

Symbols of Puerto Rico Tattoos

Are you looking for Puerto Rican tattoos that depict the feel of Puerto Rico? If so, then getting one or two symbols or elements of the country or culture will not do.

This is because Puerto Rico has a long and rich culture and there are so many different aspects of it that should be celebrated. This is why you should consider a Puerto Rico tattoo with all the different elements of the culture.

You can go with the Coqui frog, the national flag, the flower, and so much more. You can also use symbols from the indigenous Taino tribe if you like.

You can also choose to include the Castillo San Cristobal. This fortress was built to guard San Juan from attack. And, it is most likely the largest citadel built by the Spaniards in the New World.

Of course, it is up to you to decide which elements speak to you about your home country. The best thing about a Puerto Rico tattoo such as this is that you can tailor it to what you feel is important to you. So, you can make it a personal design.

If you are looking for a Puerto Rican sleeve tattoo, then this concept can be a good option for you. You can add more elements to your Puerto Rican design and make it as big and as detailed as you like.

Conversely, this concept also works well for small Puerto Rican tattoos. Sure, each Puerto Rican element does have to be made smaller but your Puerto Rico tattoo can be just as vibrant and beautiful as a larger design!

From indigenous Puerto Rican designs to more modern Puerto Rico tattoo ideas, there are so many options for you to choose from! So, go ahead and check out all the different designs that await you. You should then have no trouble deciding which the right one for you is!