One-third of Canadians have tattoos, and most have no regrets about getting them.
Our latest national survey asked Canadians if they have tattoos, and one third responded that they do. Across the country, those in the prairies are more likely to have tattoos than in other provinces. When looking at age demographics, Millennials (51%) and Gen X (43%) are more likely to have tattoos than either Gen Z (35%) or particularly Boomers (17%), who are least likely to have body art. Women are somewhat more likely to have tattoos than men (38% and 28% respectively).
Number of Tattoos (Among Those With Tattoos)
Interestingly, most Canadians seem to have one tattoo (31%) or five or more tattoos (28%), with fewer respondents having between two to four tattoos. Both Gen Z and Boomers (42% and 55% respectively) are significantly more likely to have just one tattoo compared with Millennials and Gen Xers, who are more likely to have multiple.
Feel About Their Tattoos (Among Those With Tattoos)
When it comes to how visible Canadians want their tattoos to be, seven in ten (70%) stated that while wearing a long-sleeved top and pants, their tattoos are hidden. The desire to have tattoos hidden stays steady among generations other than Boomers, who are least likely to have their tattoos placed on more visible parts of their bodies. While those in Quebec are slightly more likely to have their tattoos visible, those in Ontario and the Atlantic region are more likely to have their tattoos covered when wearing a long-sleeved top and pants.
With tattoos being permanent, three quarters of tattooed Canadians are happy with their choices, stating that they love them, with some wanting to show them off every chance they get, and others stating that their tattoos are private, keeping them hidden most of the time. Taken together, these results show that despite most tattoos being on parts of the body that are covered with long-sleeved shirts and pants, many Canadians are keen to wear other types of clothing to show off their body art. Very few state that they have regrets, wanting to have their tattoos removed if they could.
Results are from an online survey conducted in partnership between Narrative Research and the Logit Group. The survey was conducted between March 12 and 14, 2024 with 1,230 Canadians, 18 years of age or older from the Logit Group’s online Canadian Omnibus. Data were weighted based on the 2016 Census, by gender, age, and region to reflect actual population distribution, and data tables are available upon request.
The questions asked were:
- Do you have any tattoos?
- How many tattoos do you have?
- Are any or all of your tattoos visible when you’re wearing a long-sleeved top and pants?
- How do you feel about your tattoos? Understanding that you may feel differently about different tattoos you have (if you have multiple).
For more information, please contact:
Margaret Chapman, COO & Partner, Narrative Research – 902.493.3834, mchapman@narrativeresearch.ca or Sam Pisani, Managing Partner, Logit Group – 416.629.4116, sam.pisani@logitgroup.com.
Narrative Research is a non-partisan, 100% Canadian-owned research company, certified as a Women Business Enterprise (WBE). Narrative Research provides clients with state-of-the-art research and strategic consulting services.
The Logit Group is a leading North American data collection and market research execution company headquartered in Toronto, conducting large-scale projects for a variety of well-known research agencies and brands. Logit employs industry-best technologies.
Have a project that you’re looking to field?
Logit can help. Just fill out the form below and a Logit Group team member will be in contact with you shortly. Get a quote today.
