Celtic fonts are pretty awesome especially if you have a project on this theme.

And it is likely to appear something like this on the horizon considering that a lot of movies from the Celtic period are made.

In this way comes the demand for Celtic typography on opening credits as well as posters or other art for promoting the movies.

In this article, you will find 41 free Celtic fonts that you can download and use in your design projects which I’m sure will look pretty awesome.

Great Celtic fonts you can download

Erin

Erin Free Celtic Fonts To Download (56 Examples)

Erin is a Celtic-inspired, uncial typeface that comes in two variants; medium and aged. Perfect for adding an air of mysticism and a legendary feel to posters, packaging, branding…and pretty much anything else you can think of.

The font has a humanist feel, with some minor irregularities in the baseline to emphasize the hand-crafted appeal. The Aged version has been peppered with pits and scratches, providing a battle-worn and weathered look. Think Celtic, Viking, Fantasy, and Medieval….think Erin.

Paul’s Celtic Font 3

Pauls-Celtic-Font-3 Free Celtic Fonts To Download (56 Examples)

Seaker

Seaker Free Celtic Fonts To Download (56 Examples)

Seaker blends modern and ancient typography to create a sense of nostalgic wanderlust.

This spiritual serif comes with 2 uppercases to mix and match letters. Subtle irregularities have been added to the letters to give an aged/handmade aesthetic.

Seven Swordsmen BB

Seven-Swordsmen Free Celtic Fonts To Download (56 Examples)

Lodbrok

Lodbrok Free Celtic Fonts To Download (56 Examples)

Calligraphic font inspired by uncial and gothic cursive scripts. Readable yet very Celtic, medieval, Viking kind of look.

Good for beer, whiskey, Scotland / Ireland / Norway / Sweden related products, as well as magic or gaming niches. Basic Latin and Scandinavian character sets are supported.

Celtic Eels

Celtic-Eels Free Celtic Fonts To Download (56 Examples)

Anthu

Anthu Free Celtic Fonts To Download (56 Examples)

Anthu is a mystical font with a unique and modern geometric style. It is suitable for logos, quotes, social media posts, film titles, and stationary.

It works with different themes such as mystical, tribal, ethnic, magical, and fantasy.

Portcullion

Portcullion Free Celtic Fonts To Download (56 Examples)

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Acreage

Acreage Free Celtic Fonts To Download (56 Examples)

Acreage is a stylish modern typeface with lots of character. Perfect for use in branding projects that are looking to add a little bit of modern elegance.

Acreage comes equipped with 3 ampersands, a unique & attractive character set & Western European language support.

Paul’s Illuminated Celtic Font

Pauls-Illuminated-Celtic Free Celtic Fonts To Download (56 Examples)

ED Black Orchid

ED-Black-Orchid Free Celtic Fonts To Download (56 Examples)

ED Black Orchid is a Lombardic font that consists of uppercase letters. This font is designed to be simpler, which was inspired by several social media posts and letter books.

There are two styles in this font, namely regular and outline to make it easier to use for work.

Celtic Garamond the 2nd

Celtic-Garamond-the-2nd Free Celtic Fonts To Download (56 Examples)

CelticSpiral font

CelticSpiral-font Free Celtic Fonts To Download (56 Examples)

СelticSpiral font is perfect for printing graphic arts, posters, packaging, and t-shirts. The font is presented in usual and color versions.

Only uppercase letters from A to Z and numbers set (36 characters)

Paul’s Celtic Font 2

Pauls-Celtic-Font-2 Free Celtic Fonts To Download (56 Examples)

Provan Formal

Provan-Formal Free Celtic Fonts To Download (56 Examples)

Provan is a contemporary humanist sans serif with roots in calligraphy and incised letters. These timeless inspirations result in a typeface family that transcends fashion and adds a strong sense of authenticity to brands.

The regular version of Provan has angled stem endings and oblique stress in curved shapes which add to its friendly and legible warmth. Provan Formal straightens these stroke endings to bring a more refined alignment of letters.

The typefaces include swash capitals, small capitals, old-style figures, and special Celtic capital variants. The Inline version of Provan is useful for drop capitals, book covers, and posters.

Provan bucks the ubiquitous neutrality of geometric typefaces and exudes a sense of humanity, craftsmanship, and warmth.

Stonecross

Stonecross Free Celtic Fonts To Download (56 Examples)

Paul’s Celtic Font 1

Pauls-Celtic-Font-1 Free Celtic Fonts To Download (56 Examples)

Stonehenge

Stonehenge Free Celtic Fonts To Download (56 Examples)

AvQest

AvQest Free Celtic Fonts To Download (56 Examples)

Thor’s Hammer

Thors-Hammer Free Celtic Fonts To Download (56 Examples)

Eileen Caps

Eileen-Caps Free Celtic Fonts To Download (56 Examples)

Gothic Leaf

Gothic-Leaf Free Celtic Fonts To Download (56 Examples)

Carolingia

Carolingia Free Celtic Fonts To Download (56 Examples)

Trueheart

Trueheart Free Celtic Fonts To Download (56 Examples)

Celtic MD

Celtic-MD Free Celtic Fonts To Download (56 Examples)

UnZialish

UnZialish Free Celtic Fonts To Download (56 Examples)

Ramsey SD

Ramsey-SD Free Celtic Fonts To Download (56 Examples)

Viking

Viking Free Celtic Fonts To Download (56 Examples)

The Shire

The-Shire Free Celtic Fonts To Download (56 Examples)

Queen & Country

Queen-Country Free Celtic Fonts To Download (56 Examples)

Dungeon

Dungeon Free Celtic Fonts To Download (56 Examples)

I crashed into gothic

i-crashed-into-gothic Free Celtic Fonts To Download (56 Examples)

Aon Cari Celtic

Aon-Cari-Celtic Free Celtic Fonts To Download (56 Examples)

Gaeilge

Gaeilge-1-Normal Free Celtic Fonts To Download (56 Examples)

Spiral Initials

Spiral-Initials Free Celtic Fonts To Download (56 Examples)

Irish Unci Alphabet

Irish-Unci-Alphabet Free Celtic Fonts To Download (56 Examples)

Coptic Eyes Latin

Coptic-Eyes-Latin Free Celtic Fonts To Download (56 Examples)

Party Business

Party-Business Free Celtic Fonts To Download (56 Examples)

Erin Go Bragh

Erin-Go-Bragh Free Celtic Fonts To Download (56 Examples)

Lombardic

Lombardic Free Celtic Fonts To Download (56 Examples)

Roman Uncial Modern

Roman-Uncial-Modern Free Celtic Fonts To Download (56 Examples)

Unicercle

Unicercle Free Celtic Fonts To Download (56 Examples)

Dumbledor

Dumbledor Free Celtic Fonts To Download (56 Examples)

CelticaBlack

CelticaBlack Free Celtic Fonts To Download (56 Examples)

Castiglione

Castiglione Free Celtic Fonts To Download (56 Examples)

Rebuscada Caps

Rebuscada-Caps Free Celtic Fonts To Download (56 Examples)

Hours in the rain

hours-in-the-rain Free Celtic Fonts To Download (56 Examples)

Livingstone

Livingstone Free Celtic Fonts To Download (56 Examples)

UncialeOrnamentale

UncialeOrnamentale Free Celtic Fonts To Download (56 Examples)

Celtic Garamond Pro

Celtic-Garamond-Pro Free Celtic Fonts To Download (56 Examples)

A classically proportioned text font – with a Celtic twist! Perfect for that oldstyle look, but still very readable.

I have cleaned up the outlines, improved the spacing and kerning, modified a few letterforms – and then expanded the character set by 440%!

A bolder weight has now also been created, and a rough version for a more antique look.
ALL the Celtic fonts from CheapProFonts have very extensive language support:

They contain some unusual diacritic letters (some of which are contained in the Latin Extended-B Unicode block) supporting: Cornish, Filipino (Tagalog), Guarani, Luxembourgian, Malagasy, Romanian, Ulithian and Welsh.

Testament

Testament-Celtic-font Free Celtic Fonts To Download (56 Examples)

From the standpoint of calligraphy, a font family of capitals and uncials makes perfect sense. The Roman square capitals, the quadrata, are matched by round capitals of older Greek origin; the word “uncus” means hook-shaped like a beak or talon.

Interrelated and often interchangeable, these capital letters served as book hands for both the Latin West and the Greek-speaking East before they evolved into minuscule alphabets. The Testament family is based on the few formal capital manuscripts of the Bible, Virgil, and Homer that have survived from the ancient world.

Amulet

Amulet-celtic-font Free Celtic Fonts To Download (56 Examples)

Amulet evolved after a trip to Dublin, Ireland. It has a Celtic calligraphic influence which must have subconsciously come from looking at ancient manuscripts and the Book of Kells in Trinity College.

RM Celtic

62711 Free Celtic Fonts To Download (56 Examples)

RM Celtic is derived from a mix of Uncial, Carolingian, Insular, and Half-Uncial characters that, together, provide a legible and useable font with a touch of that old Celtic magic.

Due to the modular nature of this design, there may be a slight lack of smoothness to the curves at very large point sizes (around 100 pt and above).

Sacnoth

68445 Free Celtic Fonts To Download (56 Examples)

Sacnoth is a font inspired in the old knots Celtic visual.

Hibernica

135711 Free Celtic Fonts To Download (56 Examples)

Another one of these premium Celtic fonts is Hibernica. It is a new genuine Irish sans in the classical modern style. With Hibernica it is possible to express Irishness in an up-to-date fashion rather than the traditionalist way.

The design of Hibernica is based on my Lapidaria family. Lapidaria shares the classic appearance and coolness, stroke pattern, proportions, and dimensions.

Therefore Hibernica and Lapidaria are a perfect couple for bilingual text editing, e.g. Irish–English (not to forget the Greek parts of Lapidaria!). All fonts contain the full set of dotted ḃ ċ ḋ ḟ ġ ṁ ṗ ṡ ṫ in upper- and lowercase and an additional set of a dozen celtic ornaments.

Andron MC

81082 Free Celtic Fonts To Download (56 Examples)

The font series Andron MC introduces a new feature to the repertoire of the Andron family: middlecase glyphs (intermediate between upper- and lowercase) – and uncial letters.

Middlecase glyphs reach a medium height compared to full caps height and lowercase x-height. However, ‘uncial’ means the historic transitional lettershapes of the medieval ages which have gained no status in the bicameral typographic system of modern times.

Thoughts on Celtic typography

Designers, artists, printers, and publishers nowadays have an unlimited choice of fonts, typefaces, and styles to make their work unique (most of those available to the general public as well).

Most of these styles have their digitized versions with multiple type foundries, and it is almost impossible to classify and divide all of them.

Regardless of it, a designer is still expected to make the effort of understanding which typefaces work the best for different projects, and narrow down the list of potential choices for his work. A good starting point would be Celtic fonts and Gaelic fonts.

Celtic typography as one of the key elements of Celtic art refers to writing in Celtic style, with both angular and rounded letters. Being eye-catchy and classy, Celtic lettering still excites designers from all around the world, promoted as part of the local culture on each St. Patrick’s Day celebration.

You will also find samples of the Celtic alphabet on scrapbook projects, homemade art, invitations and cards, stationery, and other masterpieces coming from Ireland. To make those even more interesting, designers work with a variety of Gaelic styles, themes, and fonts.

The beginnings of Celtic artwork

The first moment in history when we can speak of Celtic crafts and arts is the Iron Age in Europe when Celts first migrated from Southern Russia’s steps (1000 BCE onwards). This is an interesting fact, as all European craftwork, art, and architecture are traced back to the Bronze Age and the Uenfield Societies (1200 – 750 BCE), Tumulus (1600-1200 BCE), Unetice (2300 -1600 BCE), and Beaker Cultures  (2800 – 1900 BCE).

What influenced early Celtic art?

When Celts first arrived from the Caucasus, they brought their own Bronze Age cultural improvement, but also a strong familiarity with Etruscan and Mediterranean style they obtained from maritime trading in the Bosporus. Being settled in the upper Danube area, they also had good clues on ancient Danubian motifs and traditions.

Their iron-making and jewelry-making skills were simply impressive, again obtained in Russian Caucasus’ Maikop culture and Levant contacts. For an idea of how this looked, look at the ‘Gunestrup Caulderon, a late La Tene silver masterpiece believed to originate from the Black Sea area.

The terms Gaelic type, Gaelic script, and Irish character translate The Irish phrase ‘cló Gaelach’ (pronounced [kɫ̪oː ˈɡˠeːɫ̪əx]), translates as Irish character, and resembles closely Gaelic types and styles. In Ireland, cló Gaelach’ is used to oppose the term cló Rómhánach, which means ‘Roman type’.

The Scottish Gaelic have their own term for it – ‘corra-litir’ (pronounced as kʰɔrə lihtʲɪɾʲ). The last Scottish writer known to have written using this script is Alasdair mac Mhaighstir, despite of the fact that his leading piece Ais-Eiridh na Sean Chánoin Albannaich got published using Roman lettering.

The main characteristics

Gaelic typefaces usually include the 26 Latin letters and additional vowels that contain acute accents (Áá, Éé, Íí, Óó, Úú). In some cases, they also have an additional kit of consonants that include a dot on top (Ḃḃ, Ċċ, Ḋḋ, Ḟḟ, Ġġ, Ṁṁ, Ṗṗ, Ṡṡ, Ṫṫ), as well as ‘et’, a Tironian sign that means ‘and’ in Irish.

Insular forms are also quite common in Gaelic typefaces, in particular for the letter ‘s’ and ‘r’. Ligatures are not excluded either, especially such that derive from early Gaelic manuscripts. The difference is that their lower case ‘i’ is written without dots (don’t confuse it with the Turkish version), and that d, f, g, and t are all written in insular shapes.

Another thing you’ll often see in a modern Gaelic typeface is a Gaelic letterform for letters such as j, k, q, v, w, x, y, and z. The scripts also differentiate the ⟨&⟩ from the ⟨⁊⟩ (as done in more traditional scripts), and in some cases, the ampersand will be completely replaced with a Tironian note (in order not to confuse its meaning for an ‘and’).

The origins

Ireland’s uncial alphabet can be traced back to medieval manuscripts and is thus often referred to as the ‘insular’ version of the Latin one. 1571 is the year that records the appearance of the first typeface when Elizabeth I commissioned a catechism for Irish Catholics to convert easily to Anglicanism.

The same typesetting of this script was used widely in the 20th century, while its use today is limited to decorative typesets. A good example of that is traditional Irish newspapers that use Gaelic scripts on their cover pages, greeting cards, local advertising, and pub signs. A Gaelic script was also put in use by Edward Lhuyd, who pulled off some of its consonants to explain signs such as [ð] and [θ].

If you look at the corporate logo of Raidió Teilifís Éireann (RTÉ) promoted in 1996, you will see a popular Gaelic typeface absolutely modernised. There are a few R’s counters that are large and have a shorter tail, a curved E that doesn’t have the counter of a lower e, a Roman T, and a few slight serifs attached to all networks. The same was done with TG4’s original logo (the name of the brand is TnaG), where the T was curved and stood next to a sans serif A. For more samples, check the logos of An Post, Garda Síochána, GAA, and Telecom Eireann. The logo of GAA employs a script that resembles both the Irish CLG acronym and the English GAA one, as it joins the C, the L, and the G.

In general, the traditional alphabet of Ireland is a throughout adaptation of the Latin one used in the country during the previous century. It won’t be difficult to find good examples of public notices and shop signs that make that visible. Today, it has 18 letters total and resembles closely the Scottish Gaelic alphabet.

The way the Gaelic Alphabet looks today (The aibitir)

Nowadays, people are using the standard Latin alphabet to type and write Irish Gaelic letters. Irish people have their own alphabet with 24 out of the 26 letters in the English one, while the original alphabet contains only 18 of them. This means that you won’t find that many words that contain j, k, v, x, y, and z, and in case you do, they will most likely be imported from the English language. Here are a few examples: vóta (vote), zú (zoo), and yóyó (yo-yo).

Certain experts claim that words containing the letter ‘q’ are completely absent, as the place of this letter is filled by an Irish hard ‘c’. In Gaelic, this ‘c’ would be pronounced as an English ‘k’. Basically, one would translate Qatar to ‘Catar’, and pronounce it in the same way.

‘W’ is also rarely used and rather unnecessary, but it still exists in the Celtic alphabet. What will certainly surprise you are w-combinations with ‘mh’ and ‘bh’, as for instance ‘an-mhaith’ (pronounces as ‘an-wah’), which stands for ‘very good’.

In brief, if a Gaelic word has its English equivalent, it will be pronounced similarly. A distinguishable characteristic of Gaelic writing is the way in which people pronounce the letter ‘a’. If you’re an Irish, you’ll do that as ‘ah’, or simply settle for the English way to do that.

FAQ about Celtic fonts

What’s the origin of Celtic fonts?

Well, Celtic fonts have a rich history. They’re derived from the artistic styles of the Celts, an ancient group of people living in Europe. These fonts typically feature intricate knotwork, spirals, and interlaced patterns. The insular script, used in Ireland and Britain around the 7th to 9th centuries, really laid the foundation for what we now recognize as Celtic fonts.

How can I use Celtic fonts in my design?

Celtic fonts are fantastic for adding a touch of history, tradition, or mystique to your designs. They work great for things like invitations, logos, book covers, or even digital art. Simply download your chosen Celtic font, install it on your computer, and you’re good to go! Just remember that readability is key, so use them sparingly and combine with more legible fonts when necessary.

Can I use Celtic fonts for commercial projects?

Totally! But you’ll want to make sure you have the right license. Some Celtic fonts are available for free, while others require payment or subscription. Always check the licensing information to ensure you’re following the rules. It’s essential to respect the creators and their work – it’s just the right thing to do.

What software can I use to create my own Celtic font?

If you’re feeling inspired and want to make your own Celtic font, there are a few options. Popular software like Adobe Illustrator, FontLab, or Glyphs will give you the tools you need to create a unique and intricate design. It might take some time to master, but the results will be worth it!

Where can I find Celtic fonts online?

You’re in luck! There’s a multitude of websites offering Celtic fonts, both free and paid. Some popular options include Dafont, 1001 Fonts, FontSpace, and MyFonts. Just be sure to check the licensing info before using them in your projects.

Are Celtic fonts similar to Gaelic fonts?

Oh, that’s a common question! Celtic and Gaelic fonts are often confused, but they’re not quite the same. Celtic fonts include those intricate designs from the ancient Celts, while Gaelic fonts specifically refer to the lettering styles used in the Gaelic languages, like Irish and Scottish Gaelic. There might be some overlap, but they’re distinct styles.

How do I install a Celtic font on my computer?

Don’t worry, it’s pretty simple! Once you’ve downloaded the font file, just double-click to open it. You’ll see an “Install” button – just click it, and your new Celtic font will be ready to use in your favorite design software or text editor. Easy peasy!

Can I use Celtic fonts in Microsoft Word?

Absolutely! Once you’ve installed a Celtic font on your computer, it should be available for use in Microsoft Word or any other text editor. Just look for the font in the drop-down menu where you usually select your fonts. Now you can add a touch of Celtic charm to your documents!

Are there any famous examples of Celtic fonts?

You bet! One famous example is the Book of Kells, an illuminated manuscript from the 9th century. The intricate insular script and stunning illustrations make it a perfect example of Celtic artistry. The font “Kells Uncial” is inspired by this historic masterpiece.

How can I learn more about the history and design of Celtic fonts?

If you’re keen on learning more, there are many resources available. Books, websites, and even academic courses can help you dive into the fascinating world of Celtic art and design. Some popular titles to get you started include “Celtic Art: The Methods of Construction” by George Bain and “Celtic Design: A Beginner’s Manual” by Aidan Meehan.

Online resources like Celtic Art Studio and the Celtic Design Course on Udemy are great places to expand your knowledge. So, grab a cup of tea, find your favorite spot, and immerse yourself in the captivating world of Celtic fonts and art!

Ending thoughts on Celtic typography

The Celtic society is common all around Europe nowadays, but their language and culture are still tightly connected to Ireland.

Celtic fonts are among the broadest font group used worldwide, including all Celt/Irish writing styles such as Insular, Uncial, Blackletter, Gothic, and other Gaelic-inspired types.

Some of the Celtic fonts are simple sans serifs, while others look more calligraphic adorned with typical symbols such as Celtic knots. The category encompasses also dingbat symbols with Irish and Celtic themes.

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