60 Spider Web Tattoos & Their Meaning

You will find that the spider web tattoo is one of the most criticized tattoos of all time. Even to this day, people criticize this tattoo. People think this because the spider web represented negative items. This could include prison, gang violence, and murder. We will look at how the tattoo has gotten a few different meanings over time.

What Does a Spider Web Tattoo Symbolize?

The spider web tattoo symbolizes many things. The tattoo can be seen as both positive and negative. Before putting this design on your body, determine all the meanings and understand them. Here are a few meanings behind the spider web tattoo.

  • Death
  • Design
  • Incarceration
  • Prison
  • White Supremacy
  • Evil
  • Beauty
  • Magic
  • Protection
  • Creativity

You should be informed about what this tattoo stands for and what it can represent. It would be best if you educated yourself about the negative and positive meanings because the negativity surrounding it could last decades.

What Does a Spider Web Tattoo on the Elbow Symbolize?

There are a lot of different meanings surrounding the spiderweb tattoo on the elbow. However, it is often associated with those who have done time in prison. The spiderweb tattoo symbolizes the feeling of being tangled with the system, being trapped, and even just waiting around with cobwebs forming. Each specific area and prison have their in-depth meaning. These in-depth meanings can be displayed by a certain number of rings on the webbing or if there is a spider present or not. People will still use these tattoos in prison.

The spiderweb tattoo is earned. Just like someone in the military would earn their ranks, prison mates earn theirs as well. Many tattoo shops avoid doing spiderweb tattoos altogether. Those who do this want to avoid any issues or affiliations with prison. However, it is purely for fun outside of being related to prison. People love adding web tattoos to their elbow because it looks cool. Plus, it is often used in sleeves as a filler. The elbow is tender, and adding a simple spider web to fill the area in a sleeve is a great idea.

What Does a Spider Web Tattoo Mean Referring to the Military?

People often had the spider web tattoo on their elbows in the military. Snipers wore this tattoo with pride. It was a symbol of them waiting for their target to appear. It represents how still and quiet the sniper had to be. It also symbolizes how long they had to wait for the target to appear.

Can Spider Web Tattoos be Associated with White Supremacy?

People see a spider web tattoo and assume that the person has spent time incarcerated. However, there is a much deeper and darker past to this tattoo’s meaning. The tattoo was once the symbol of white supremacy groups. They would get the spider web on their elbow. A person would do this to show loyalty to the supremacy group. 

People would wear this tattoo in the 70s with a cost. The supremacy groups would have rules about their spider web tattoo. Often, the person who wanted the tattoo would have to kill someone before getting this tattoo. The person who had to be killed was a minority. It was a way for a person to show that loyalty to the group and leader.

Spider Web Tattoo Designs