The Celtic Father Daughter Knot: 4 Design Options

 When choosing a Celtic father daughter knot, you need to be aware of several things.

The first is that, unfortunately, many of the father daughter Celtic Knots that you see online are recent inventions, and weren’t designed by the Celts.

The second is that it all comes down to interpretation.

There are a finite number of ancient Celtic symbols and many have a meaning that could symbolise the love between a father and daughter, as you’ll discover below.

Some quick need-to-knows about the Celtic father daughter knot

Before you scroll down to the different Celtic symbols for father and daughter, take 20 seconds to read the points below, first:

1. Beware of articles online

If you Google ‘Celtic father daughter knot’ you’ll find thousands of different designs that claim to be ancient Celtic Knots. However, many of these designs are recent inventions, usually by websites trying to sell you designs/jewellery. 

There are only a finite number of authentic, ancient Celtic knots and symbols out there, and there haven’t been any new ones for a long time, so keep that in mind.

2. The interpretation is up to you

Celtic symbols go back many hundreds of years. Some have roots dating back to around 5,000 B.C. However, there’s very little solid evidence to say what each symbol means for certain. What we do know mostly comes from the speculation of historians. 

However, of the limited number of authentic Celtic symbols, none of them have been proven to specifically symbolise the relationship between father and daughter. Fortunately, Celtic symbols are open to interpretation, and different people give different meaning to the various designs.

Celtic Symbols for father and daughter

Below, you’ll find what we believe are the best representations for the Celtic father daughter knot.

There’s the Dara Knot, Serch Bythol, the Tree of Life and one of the more unique Celtic symbols for father and daughter.

1. The Dara Knot

The Dara Knot (sometimes referred to as the Shield Knot) is one of the most popular Celtic symbols for father and daughter. It represents the oak tree, which was revered by the Celts, who called it the King of the Forest.

To the Celts, oaks served as the host of ancient spirits and ancestors, and a gateway to the Otherworld. They also formed the focal point of many communities, a place where meetings were held and sacred rituals carried out.

The design of the Dara Knot is said to symbolise the ancient roots of the mighty oak, and the interconnectivity of both the trees, but also the Celts. It’s one of several Celtic symbols for strength and it symbolises a strength drawn from unity.

It’s a great choice for fathers and daughters, and symbolises the shared roots and the strength that both father and daughter can draw from this eternal bond.

2. Celtic Tree of Life

Similar to the Dara Knot, the Celtic Tree of Life symbol offers a glimpse at the core of the Celtic belief system and it is one of the more notable Celtic symbols for family.

It features a symmetrical design with the strong roots of the oak tree mirroring the branches above and forming an endless, circular shape.

It essentially represents community, the strength of shared roots, and the cycle of life, death, and rebirth. In a more modern sense, the Celtic Tree of Life is able to symbolise the roots shared by father and daughter, as well as each of their places in the cycle of life.

It’s a symbol of strength, peace, and togetherness that lasts for eternity.

3. Serch Bythol

The Serch Bythol is a beautiful Celtic symbol that is deep with meaning and perhaps best represents the coming together of two souls (see our Celtic Love Knot guide for more like this).

In Welsh, Serch Bythol translates to “eternal love” and once you take a good look at the design, it’s easy to see why. The Serch Bythol symbol is made from two Trinity Knots, joined together to create one whole.

If the Triquetra symbolises the soul, joining two together is the ultimate way to create an unbreakable and eternal bond, much like the bond between father and daughter. 

4. The altered Trinity Knot

Alright, so we promised you authentic Celtic symbols for father and daughter, but this isn’t one. Not quite anyway.

This is based on the Trinity Knot, or the Triquetra, which truly is one of the oldest Celtic symbols and can be seen on ancient manuscripts and stone carvings.

However, this modernised design incorporates a love heart symbol—something that definitely wasn’t Celtic. The two elements are intertwined, a coming together of old and new, kind of like a father, daughter bond.

The Trinity Knot celebrates the Celt’s reverence for the number three (more on its meaning here). It’s also used as a Celtic symbol for sister.

FAQs about the father daughter Celtic knot

We’ve had a lot of questions over the years asking about everything from ‘What’s a simple father daughter Celtic Knot?’ to ‘Which makes a good tattoo?’.

In the section below, we’ve popped in the most FAQs that we’ve received. If you have a question that we haven’t tackled, ask away in the comments section below.