The Heart of Midlothian logo is one of the most recognizable crests in Scottish football. It belongs to Heart of Midlothian Football Club, commonly called Hearts, founded in 1874 in Edinburgh. The crest draws directly from the Heart of Midlothian mosaic on the city’s Royal Mile, a granite heart that marks the site of the Old Tolbooth prison demolished in 1817.
Few football badges carry this much local history baked into their shape. The club itself was named after a dance hall (the Heart of Midlothian Quadrille Assembly Club), which took its name from Sir Walter Scott’s 1818 novel, which referenced that same old prison. So the logo sits at the end of a chain that goes: prison, novel, dance hall, football club, badge. That’s a lot of layers for one heart shape.
Within Scottish Premiership branding, Hearts’ crest stands apart. Most clubs lean on shields, circles, or animal mascots. Hearts went with a heart. Simple enough on paper, but loaded with Edinburgh identity. The current version has been in use since around 1999/2000, though earlier forms of the heart-shaped badge appeared on kits as far back as 1910.
The club has gone through roughly four to five major crest variations since its founding. The original designer of the modern badge remains largely uncredited publicly, though the club’s in-house team handled updates over the decades.
What Is the Heart of Midlothian Logo?
The Heart of Midlothian logo is a heart-shaped emblem featuring the letters “HFC” in white script over a maroon background, with a football graphic, diagonal white stripes, a circular stone pattern at its center, and the founding year “1874” displayed at the bottom, all framed by a gold border.
Here’s what makes up the badge:
- Design Type: Emblem (heart-shaped crest, not a standard shield or circle)
- Primary Elements: Maroon heart shape, white script lettering “HFC,” football graphic, diagonal white stripes with blue outlines, circular stone pattern (referencing the Royal Mile mosaic), and the year “1874”
- Official Introduction Date: The current version has been active since the 1999/2000 season, with minor refinements since
- Designer/Agency: Attributed to HMFC internally. The specific designer is not widely credited by name
- Trademark Status: Active and registered. The badge is the property of Heart of Midlothian Football Club
- Color Palette: Maroon (#9F1931), Gold (#F6BE5F), Gray (#C6C7C9), Blue (#00529B), and White (#FFFFFF)
- Usage Context: Match kits, official merchandise, Tynecastle Park signage, Hearts TV digital broadcasts, club stationery, social media profiles, and the official website at heartsfc.co.uk
How Has the Heart of Midlothian Logo Changed Over Time?
The Heart of Midlothian badge has moved through several versions since the club’s founding in 1874. Early iterations were plain heart outlines with initials. Mid-century versions added more structure and detail. The current crest, introduced around 1999, brought a polished, modern look while keeping the heart shape that has always defined the club.
The Earliest Hearts Crest (1874-1910)
Years Active: 1874 to approximately 1910
When Hearts first started playing, there was no formal badge in the way we think of one today. Players wore all-white shirts and trousers with maroon trimmings. A heart was sewn directly onto the chest of the shirt.
That’s it. No lettering. No border details. Just a fabric heart.
The maroon trimmings became the club’s identity almost by accident. In 1877, the players’ hooped shirts (inherited from an absorbed club called St. Andrew) were all dyed dark red because the hoops were unpopular. The old pattern still showed through the dye, apparently. But the maroon stuck, and the team became known as “The Maroons.”
This early period set the color palette that would carry through every future version of the badge.
The First Official Kit Crest (1910-1950s)
Years Active: Approximately 1910 to the 1950s
In 1910-11, a heart-shaped crest was actually worn on the team’s shirts for the first time. Historical records suggest this was likely the official club crest that had been in use on documents since at least 1880, but it had never appeared on a kit before.
The design was straightforward. A heart outline with the club’s initials inside. Functional, not decorative. It did the job of identification without any of the graphic complexity that would come later.
During this period, the club went through World War I (losing seven first-team players), a long trophy drought between 1906 and 1954, and then a golden era in the mid-1950s with Scottish Cup and league wins. The badge stayed simple through all of it.
Key Changes from Previous: Moving from a sewn-on fabric heart to an actual structured crest with initials. A real identity step.
Mid-Century and Modernizing Badge (1950s-1990s)
Years Active: 1950s through the late 1990s
As the club entered its most successful period on the pitch, the badge evolved too. More detail crept in. The heart shape remained, but the lettering became cleaner, the outlines sharper.
By the 1970s, Hearts briefly experimented with an all-white kit borrowed stylistically from Ajax (of all clubs), which changed how the badge sat visually on the shirt. But the crest itself kept its heart-shaped core.
Through the 1980s and into the 1990s, the badge was refined to work better on television and in print. Scottish football was becoming more commercialized, and clubs needed crests that reproduced well at different sizes. Hearts adjusted accordingly.
Color Scheme: Maroon and white remained dominant, with gold accents starting to appear in later versions during this era.
Cultural Significance: This was the badge that saw Hearts reach the quarter-finals of the 1988-89 UEFA Cup, losing to Bayern Munich. It was the crest European audiences first associated with the club.
The Current Heart of Midlothian Crest (1999-Present)
Years Active: 1999/2000 season to present
The current version is the most detailed iteration in the club’s history. It features a maroon heart with a gold border, the white script “HFC” letters at center, a football graphic, diagonal white stripes with blue outlines, a circular stone pattern referencing the Royal Mile mosaic, and “1874” at the bottom.
This is the version that went through the turbulent 2010s with the club. Administration in 2013 under Vladimir Romanov’s ownership. Relegation in 2014. The Foundation of Hearts fan ownership takeover. The badge stayed constant through all of it.
Minor digital-friendly refinements were made along the way to make reproduction cleaner on screens and social media. But the core design has held firm for over two decades now.
Key Changes from Previous: More ornate detail work, the addition of the stone mosaic pattern, refined typography, and a gold border that previous versions lacked. It’s the most “finished” looking badge in the club’s history.
What Do the Design Elements of the Heart of Midlothian Logo Mean?
Every piece of the Hearts badge carries meaning rooted in Edinburgh’s history and the club’s identity. The heart shape references the Royal Mile mosaic. The maroon reflects the club’s colors since 1877. The “1874” grounds the badge in the club’s founding year. Nothing in this design is decorative filler.
Why Did Hearts Choose These Specific Colors?
The maroon (#9F1931) is the club’s signature. Pantone PMS 201 C, to be exact.
It came about almost by accident back in 1877 when shirts were dyed. But the shade stuck, and now it carries associations with passion and resilience for the fanbase. Maroon is also what separates Hearts visually from nearly every other Scottish club. According to color psychology, deep reds and maroons tend to signal strength, tradition, and intensity.
The gold (#F6BE5F, RGB 246, 190, 95) serves as the border color. It adds warmth and a sense of prestige without overpowering the maroon.
Blue (#00529B) appears subtly in the stripe outlines. It ties back to Scotland’s national colors and gives the crest an extra layer of depth.
White (#FFFFFF) handles the lettering and stripe fills. It provides the contrast needed for the “HFC” text to pop against the dark maroon background.
Gray (#C6C7C9) appears in supporting elements and certain reproductions of the badge.
What Typography Style Is Used in the Heart of Midlothian Logo?
The “HFC” lettering uses a custom white script font style. It’s cursive, slightly ornate, and positioned prominently in the center of the heart.
Early versions of the badge used simpler, more utilitarian lettering. Straight lines, no flair. The shift to script happened as the badge became more refined, and it gives the current version a sense of tradition that a blocky sans-serif just wouldn’t deliver.
The “1874” text at the bottom uses a cleaner, more straightforward font. It doesn’t compete with the script above. Good typographic hierarchy at work there, whether it was intentional or just instinct.
What Are the Hidden Meanings in the Heart of Midlothian Logo?
The circular stone pattern at the center of the badge is the bit most people miss. It’s a direct reference to the Heart of Midlothian mosaic on Edinburgh’s Royal Mile, which itself marks where the Old Tolbooth prison once stood.
So when you look at the badge, you’re looking at a reference to a pavement mosaic, which references a demolished prison, which inspired a novel by Sir Walter Scott, which inspired a dance hall, which inspired the club’s name. Took me a while to trace that whole chain the first time.
The diagonal stripes flanking the “HFC” letters add a sense of movement. They aren’t just decorative. They pull the eye toward the center of the badge.
How Does the Heart of Midlothian Logo Compare to Competitor Logos?
Within the Scottish Premiership, Hearts’ badge is unusual. Most clubs use circular or shield-shaped crests. Celtic has their four-leaf clover in a circle. Rangers use a shield with the RFC monogram. Hibernian, Hearts’ main rivals across Edinburgh, feature a harp inside a shield.
Hearts went a completely different direction. The heart shape is the badge. Not inside a circle, not on a shield. The shape itself IS the container. That’s a design choice that gives them instant recognition even at small sizes.
Compare that to clubs like Aberdeen or Motherwell, which use more conventional circular badge formats. Or Kilmarnock with their shield shape. Hearts’ crest breaks the mold by letting the symbol do double duty as both graphic element and structural frame.
Even looking at European football more broadly, heart-shaped badges are rare. Most clubs that reference hearts include them as elements within a larger crest (like some German or French clubs). Hearts of Midlothian is one of the few where the entire badge follows the heart outline.
What Are the Technical Specifications of the Heart of Midlothian Logo?
Official Color Codes
- Maroon (Primary): Hex #9F1931 | RGB (159, 25, 49) | CMYK (25, 100, 80, 20) | Pantone PMS 201 C
- Gold (Secondary): Hex #F6BE5F | RGB (246, 190, 95) | CMYK (3, 27, 73, 0) | Pantone PMS 10-6 U
- Gray (Accent): Hex #C6C7C9 | RGB (198, 199, 201) | CMYK (22, 17, 16, 0) | Pantone PMS Cool Gray 3 XGC
- Blue (Accent): Hex #00529B | RGB (0, 82, 155) | CMYK (99, 76, 8, 1) | Pantone PMS 2145 XGC
- White: Hex #FFFFFF | RGB (255, 255, 255) | CMYK (0, 0, 0, 0)
Dimensions and Proportions
The badge follows an approximate 1:1.1 width-to-height ratio, slightly taller than it is wide. This is typical of heart shapes and differs from the more square or landscape-oriented badges used by many football clubs.
Official usage guidelines from the club require clear space around the badge when placed on marketing materials. The gold border should remain visible and unobstructed at all times.
For digital use, the badge is available in vector graphics formats (SVG, EPS) that scale cleanly to any size. On-screen, keeping the badge above 40 pixels in width is recommended so the “HFC” lettering remains readable.
For print applications, the badge needs to be reproduced at a minimum DPI of 300 to maintain the detail in the stone pattern and fine stripe outlines.
What Cultural Impact Has the Heart of Midlothian Logo Had?
The Hearts badge is tied to Edinburgh’s identity in ways that go beyond football. The heart shape connects the club to the Royal Mile mosaic, which draws thousands of tourists yearly. Many visitors learn about the football club through the mosaic, and vice versa.
During the club’s financial crisis in 2013-2014, the badge became a rallying symbol. The Foundation of Hearts, the fan-ownership group that saved the club, used the crest as a unifying mark. Supporters wore it on scarves, flags, and tattoos as a show of loyalty during the darkest period in the club’s modern history.
There’s also a fun pop culture connection. The rival gangs in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (2004) wear green and maroon, and since developer Rockstar North is based in Edinburgh, fans believe this is a nod to the Hearts-Hibernian rivalry. The colors are too specific to be coincidence, honestly.
How Does the Heart of Midlothian Logo Fit Into the Overall Brand Identity?
The badge is the anchor point for everything visual at Hearts. The maroon color runs through kits, stadium signage at Tynecastle Park, the official website, social media channels, and Hearts TV broadcasts. The gold accents from the badge border appear in secondary branding materials. White provides the clean backdrop for communications.
You can trace a clear line from the badge to the brand guidelines the club follows. Merchandise, match programmes, ticket designs, and sponsor integration all reference the same color codes and proportions established by the crest.
The relationship between the badge and Tynecastle Park is tight. The stadium’s main stand, rebuilt in 2017, incorporates the maroon and white scheme throughout. Walking into the ground, you see the heart motif repeated in railings, seat colors, and entrance graphics. The badge isn’t just on the shirt. It’s built into the physical space where the club lives.
Hearts’ nickname, “The Jambos” (from Cockney rhyming slang: Jam Tarts equals Hearts), even ties into the branding. The playful nickname sits alongside the more serious badge, giving the club both a formal and informal identity that works across different audience segments.
How Should the Heart of Midlothian Logo Be Used?
Official usage guidelines include:
- Always reproduce the badge in its full-color version when possible. The maroon, gold, white, blue, and gray should appear as specified in the official color codes
- Don’t stretch, skew, or rotate the badge. The heart shape has a specific proportion that looks wrong when distorted
- Maintain clear space around the badge. Other graphic elements or text shouldn’t crowd it
- For single-color applications (like embossing or engraving), use the maroon or white version depending on the background
- Don’t place the badge on backgrounds that clash with the maroon or reduce readability of the “HFC” text
- The badge should never be redrawn, modified, or combined with other graphic elements without club approval
Official badge files can be accessed through the club’s media department or via licensed brand asset platforms. For fan and media use, the club provides downloadable assets through their official site at heartsfc.co.uk.
The Heart of Midlothian badge is a registered trademark. Unauthorized commercial use, including on merchandise, is a violation of trademark protections. Fan-created artwork for personal, non-commercial use generally falls into a gray area, but selling products with the badge requires licensing from the club.
If you’re working on any kind of design project involving the Hearts crest, always start with the official vector files rather than pulling bitmap images from Google. It saves you from color inaccuracies and resolution problems down the line.
FAQ on The Heart Of Midlothian Logo
What does the Heart of Midlothian logo look like?
It’s a maroon heart-shaped crest with white “HFC” script lettering at its center. A football graphic sits below the letters, flanked by diagonal white stripes. The founding year “1874” appears at the bottom, and a gold border frames the whole thing.
Why is the Hearts FC badge shaped like a heart?
The club crest takes its shape from the Heart of Midlothian mosaic on Edinburgh’s Royal Mile. That granite mosaic marks where the Old Tolbooth prison once stood. Sir Walter Scott’s 1818 novel popularized the name, and the football club adopted it in 1874.
What colors are in the Heart of Midlothian club emblem?
The official colors are maroon (#9F1931), gold (#F6BE5F), gray (#C6C7C9), blue (#00529B), and white (#FFFFFF).
Maroon has defined the Edinburgh football club since 1877 when players’ shirts were dyed dark red. The gold border was a later addition to the Scottish Premiership team’s badge.
When was the current Hearts football crest introduced?
The current version launched for the 1999/2000 season. It replaced earlier, simpler versions that had been used throughout the club’s history at Tynecastle Park. Minor digital refinements have been made since, but the core design has held for over two decades.
Who designed the Heart of Midlothian FC badge?
No single designer is publicly credited. The club’s internal team handled badge development and updates over the years. Earlier crests evolved organically from a simple heart sewn onto shirts in the 1870s to the structured emblem Hearts supporters recognize today.
What does “HFC” stand for on the Hearts logo?
It stands for “Heart of Midlothian Football Club.” The letters appear in white script across the center of the maroon heart shape. Earlier badge versions used different lettering styles, but the “HFC” initials have been a consistent feature of the club’s visual identity.
Has the Heart of Midlothian badge changed over time?
Yes. Multiple times. The earliest version was just a fabric heart sewn onto white shirts in 1874.
A structured crest first appeared on kits around 1910. Mid-century updates added detail and cleaner lines. The current SPFL team badge from 1999 is the most refined version in the club’s history.
What does the stone pattern in the Hearts crest mean?
The circular stone pattern references the Heart of Midlothian mosaic embedded in Edinburgh’s Royal Mile cobblestones. That mosaic marks the site of the Old Tolbooth, demolished in 1817. It ties the football club’s identity directly to Scottish football heritage and the city itself.
Can I use the Heart of Midlothian logo for my own project?
Not commercially without a license. The badge is a registered trademark of Heart of Midlothian Football Club. Fan artwork for personal use sits in a gray area. For any commercial Hearts merchandise or branding, you need direct approval from the club.
How does the Hearts badge compare to other Scottish football club crests?
Most Scottish Premiership clubs use circular or shield-shaped badges. Hearts broke that pattern entirely. The heart shape acts as both the graphic element and the structural frame, which gives the Jambos crest instant recognition even at small sizes on kits and digital platforms.
Conclusion
The Heart of Midlothian logo is more than a football badge. It’s a piece of Edinburgh stitched into maroon fabric, gold borders, and white script that has survived financial crises, relegation, and over a century of Scottish football.
From a simple heart sewn onto shirts in 1874 to the detailed Hearts FC crest used across Tynecastle Park and digital platforms today, every version has kept that same core shape. The connection to the Royal Mile mosaic, the Old Tolbooth history, and the Gorgie community gives this emblem a depth that most club badges just don’t carry.
Whether you’re a Jambos supporter or a designer studying football club branding, this crest rewards a closer look.
Renowned for his expertise in logo design and visual branding, Bogdan has developed a multitude of logos for various clients.
His skills extend to creating posters, vector illustrations, business cards, and brochures. Additionally, Bogdan's UI kits were featured on marketplaces like Visual Hierarchy and UI8.
He also wrote in the past years on sites like Design Your Way, WebDesignerDepot, WPDean, Designmodo, Speckyboy, Slider Revolution, and more.
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Bogdan Sandu is a seasoned designer who has been designing websites since 2008. Renowned for his expertise in logo design and visual branding, Bogdan has developed a multitude of logos for various clients. His skills extend to creating posters, vector illustrations, business cards, and brochures. Additionally, Bogdan's UI kits were featured on marketplaces like Visual Hierarchy and UI8. He also wrote in the past years on sites like Design Your Way, WebDesignerDepot, WPDean, Designmodo, Speckyboy, Slider Revolution, and more.
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