According to a recent surveys conducted in the United States, tattoos were common the most among Millennials. Millennials represents that part of population born between the beginning of the 1980s and half 1990s. On the other hand, only 13 percent of respondents belonging to the Baby Boomer generation had at last one tattoo as of 2021.

This statistic represents the results of a 2018 survey on tattoos which was conducted in selected countries. During the survey, 48 percent of respondents in Italy stated they have at least one tattoo.

This statistic shows the results of a survey on tattoos. The respondents were sorted by their occupation. 14 percent of respondents working in retail admitted having a tattoo.

Tattoos and body art

For centuries, tattoos have been used in many cultures as a form of body modification. They were used as a way of identifying oneself and others, as a talisman against evil spirits, rites of passage or for social reasons. Since tattooing was and still is popular all over the world, there are several different kinds of tattoo art. The style of Japanese tattoo art, for example, is distinctively different from that of gang members in the United States.

After a period of being regarded as an indicator for deviant behavior, tattoos have gained acceptance in Western society and are mostly considered a way of expressing oneself, not a sign of moral deviance.

The number of Americans with a tattoo has risen significantly during the last decade; they are especially popular among the 25 to 39 year-olds. Still, the overwhelming majority of Americans prefer tattoos which are not visible when they are fully clothed, probably because tattoos are still seen as a hindrance to finding a job, despite growing social acceptance.

Among office job workers, tattoos are significantly less accepted than in fields which do not require customer contact or representation, as can be seen above. Interestingly enough, piercings, another form of body modification, are considered even worse than visible tattoos when it comes to employment. A slight majority of tattooed Americans make sure their body art is not visible when they are at their workplace.

Body modification, especially tattooing, has proven to be very popular over the last few years. In the United States alone, more than a quarter of the population is adorned with at least one tattoo, and less than 40 percent of Americans would rule out getting one completely. Most get their first in their twenties, and the vast majority never regrets that first prick of the needle. In other countries, the share of tattooed inhabitants is even higher. Tattoos have not always been that socially acceptable, though: For a long time, they were sure indicators that their owner was up to no good.

Fringe markings

Only a few decades ago, tattooed people were often perceived as socially inadequate, maladaptive, and even as criminal. Body ink was associated with people who lived on the fringes of society, people who had been to jail or worked as sailors at best. Nowadays, tattooed people are often still considered more rebellious and less respectable than those without, but having a tattoo does not lead to social ostracism anymore. In fact, they are becoming more and more mainstream.

Hoist the colors

Today, tattoos are a means of self-expression, especially embraced by the younger generations. They have become acceptable for professionals as well, while they have been hidden in public under long sleeves and collars for decades, they are now often shown off proudly; professional reasons are rarely cited for not having a tattoo nowadays. The insignificance of professional reasons becomes even clearer when looking at how socially acceptable visible tattoos have become for “respectable” professions, like doctors or police officers. Other body modifications, like piercings, are also becoming mainstream, and at this rate, it won’t be long until we see a judge with a nose stud or a doctor with a lip ring.

According to a survey conducted in 2021, 74 percent of Americans did not have a tattoo. On the other hand, 17 percent of people in the United States had more than one tattoo, while some nine percent of respondents had one.

In the United States, about 26 percent of people had at least one tattoo as of 2021. Compared to 2012, this share increased, when some 21 percent of American respondents declared to have at least one tattoo.

This graph shows the percentages of respondents that have tattoos in the United Kingdom (UK) as of 2015. The results are broken down into age groups. According to these results, respondents aged between 25 and 39 years are the most likely demographic to have a tattoo, with 30 percent of the respondent group admitting to possessing body art.

There was a higher rate of tattoos among British women, this statistic can be viewed by clicking tattoo popularity by gender.

According to respondents who were surveyed with reference to their opinion of large tattoos (by age group), this showed that as age increased so too did the share of respondents that stated that they would take a less positive view on people with large tattoos, with the majority of elderly people holding a negative attitude. Although generally speaking attitudes to tattoos, by gender showed that the most common consensus of respondents towards people with large tattoos remained unaffected.

This statistic shows the results of a 2015 survey among adult Americans on the perception of people with tattoos. During the survey, 40 percent of respondents stated that they perceive people with tattoos as more rebellious than people without tattoos, while 6 percent stated they think tattooed people are less rebellious, and 54 percent did not see a difference between people with or without tattoos when it comes to being rebellious.

Tattoos in American society

As can be seen above, compared to people without tattoos, 40 percent of people find those with tattoos to be characteristically rebellious while only 16 percent of respondents find people with tattoos characteristically attractive. However, in most cases, people do not believe that having a tattoo can characterize someone as being spiritual, healthy or rebellious in addition to a number of other characteristics. This may be because tattoos are becoming more and more mainstream, with close to 30 percent of Americans now having one or more tattoos; that means three out of every ten people. Furthermore, body ink is most common among Americans between the ages of 30 and 39, a demographic where more than half have tattoos - i.e. one out of every two people. Another interesting fact is that slightly more women have tattoos than men.

It the end, it appears rather difficult to characterize someone with a tattoo, especially when so many people now have them. However, at the same time, it is not always obvious to know who has one or not; it turns out that a vast majority of tattooed Americans hide their tattoos in everyday life, with less than 20 percent having visible ones. However, this too may change as tattooed skin becomes more and more accepted. One indicator for this is the fact that Americans seem to be comfortable with tattoos in the workplace regarding a number of different professions - with one interesting exception: People appear less comfortable with tattoos on those who are presidential candidates.

This statistic represents the percentage of Americans with at least one tattoo in selected years from 2003 through 2015, by gender. In 2012, 23 percent of female respondents stated they had one or more tattoos on their body.

This statistic shows the results of a Statista survey conducted in the United States in 2017 on tattoos and body modification. During the survey, the respondents were asked if they like face tattoos. The results were sorted by age. 25 percent of the respondents between 18 and 29 of age said they liked face tattoos on both men and women.

This statistic shows the results of a Statista survey conducted in the United States in 2017 on tattoos and body modification. During the survey, the respondents were asked about the percentage of their body that is tattooed. The results were sorted by type of body modification. 54 percent of the respondents who have a tattoo said they have up to five percent of their bodies tattooed.

This statistic shows the results of a Statista survey conducted in the United States in 2019 on tattoos. During the survey, the respondents were asked if they have any tattoos. Some 29 percent of the respondents said they have several tattoos.

This statistic shows the results of a Statista survey conducted in the United States in 2017 on tattoos and body modification. During the survey, the respondents were asked how many tattoos they have. The results were sorted by age. 31 percent of the respondents between 18 and 29 years said have only one tattoo.

According to a survey conducted in the United States in 2021, 19 percent of young Americans belonging to Generation Z got a tattoo during the pandemic. Generally, people born between 1997 and 2010 are called Generation Z.

This statistic shows the results of a Statista survey conducted in the United States in 2019 on tattoos. During the survey, the respondents were asked which areas of their body were tattooed. 33 percent of the respondents said they have their upper arm tattooed.

This statistic shows the results of a Statista survey conducted in the United States in 2017 on tattoos and body modification. During the survey, the respondents were asked how many tattoos they have. The results were sorted by gender. 33 percent of female respondents said they have only one tattoo; 27 percent of male respondents said the same.

This statistic illustrates the share of Italian population wearing tattoos in Italy as of 2015, broken down by gender. According to data, tattoos were more popular among women (13.8 percent) than men (11.7 percent).

This statistic shows the results of a Statista survey conducted in the United States in 2017 on tattoos and body modification. During the survey, the respondents were asked if they like face tattoos. 18 percent of the respondents said they liked face tattoos on both men and women.

This statistic shows the results of a 2012 survey among Americans regarding body modification. They were asked if they had a certain type of piercing or a henna tattoo on their body. 49 percent of respondents stated they had pierced ears.

This statistic shows the results of a Statista survey conducted in the United States in 2017 on tattoos and body modification. During the survey, the respondents were asked if they like tattoos of people. The results were sorted by gender. 40 percent of the male respondents said they like people tattoos for both women and men.