How to Write Family First in Cursive

By Maya Chen, lettering designer and type educator · Checked by Jordan Hale · October 2026 · How we review content

"Family First" in Playwrite US Trad, a typeface modelled on traditional school cursive.

Family First has two capital F's, two words of five letters each, and a lot of rhythm: a three-hump m, a tall l, a descending y, then the pointed r and s and t of the second word. It is a common phrase for motto signs, tattoos and wall art, and it benefits from matching the two capitals and keeping the word spacing clear.

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Letter by letter

Each distinct letter in "Family First" has its own stroke-by-stroke page.

The joins in Family First

Fa: The first F is written as a cap, a stem and a crossbar, and the pen lifts afterwards. Lift after the crossbar and start the a beside the stem. Keep the a small so the capital leads.
am: The a exits at the baseline into the m's first stroke. Make the m's three humps equal in width and height.
il: The i exits at the baseline and rises to the l's loop. Keep the i short and the l loop narrow and tall, and dot the i last.
ly: The l loop closes at the baseline and exits into the y's first undercurve. Drop the y descender straight below the baseline and keep the loop narrow.
Fi: The second capital F should match the first in height and slant. Lift after the crossbar, then start the i just right of the stem.
ir: The i exits into the r's pointed shoulder. Keep the r small, and make sure the i stays short and straight.
rs: The r's shoulder runs down into a short bridge to the s, which rises to a small point and curls at the baseline.
st: The s exits into the t's stem. Make the t spike taller than the s, then cross it at the end of the word.

Tricky spots

Two capital F's: The F in Family and the F in First must match. Write them one after the other on the guide line first and compare the cap, stem and crossbar.
y descender and spacing: The y's descender drops into the space below the word, and the gap before First should be about one F wide. If the gap is tight, the y tail reads as part of the next word.
m humps: The m must have three equal humps. Fewer or more turns the m into an n or a w-like shape, which makes Family unreadable.

Capitals

Both words are capitalised in the usual phrase, so there are two capital F's that need to match. Neither F joins to the next letter in school cursive, which gives a small lift after each. If you want a flowing look, write lowercase family first, where the f's lower loop connects into the a.

Variations and styles

Family First works well in a brush script with a long swash from the t that curls under both words. For wall art, stack Family above First and keep the F's matching. A heart can replace the dot of the i. In calligraphy, thicken the F stems, the l loop and the y descender.

As a tattoo

Family First is often tattooed as two lines on a forearm, ribs or calf. Allow enough space for the y descender and keep letters at least 8 mm tall. With two capital F's, ask the artist to keep them identical in the stencil. Choose a slightly bolder line weight so the m and the r-s-t sequence stay readable as the lines blur.

Printable practice sheet

Trace the grey letters, then write your own on the empty lines. Prints on one page (Letter or A4).

Cursive practice: Family First

Name: ____________________ coolletteringgenerator.com

Copy-paste versions of Family First

Script family first borrows one Letterlike capital, ℱ (U+2131) for F, which appears twice since both words begin with F. The rest are regular math script, so the phrase reads as ℱ𝒶𝓂𝒾𝓁𝓎 ℱ𝒾𝓇𝓈𝓉. The ℱ can look lighter or heavier than 𝒶, 𝓂 and 𝒾 in some fonts. Bold script 𝓕𝓪𝓶𝓲𝓵𝔂 𝓕𝓲𝓻𝓼𝓽 is one block throughout.

Family First in cursive: questions

Do both F's connect to the next letter in Family First?

In school cursive, no. The capital F is made of a cap, a stem and a crossbar, so you lift before the a in Family and again before the i in First. A signature style may add a link, but matching two identical lifted capitals looks tidier on a motto sign.

How do I space Family First?

Leave a gap of about one capital F width between the two words. The y's descender tends to crowd that gap, so check the space after writing the y. Because First begins with a tall capital, a slightly wider gap helps the second F stand clear of the y tail.

What's the best style for a family first tattoo?

A flowing lowercase or a simple capital version both work. The key is height, at least 8 mm, and open loops in the l and y. Two lines stacked often fit narrow areas such as a forearm better than one long line, and they keep the two F capitals aligned.

Should I write family first in lowercase?

You can, and the line will flow more smoothly, since the lowercase f joins into the a and the i. The capitals give the phrase more weight and make the two words read as a motto, so for a sign or a framed print most people prefer capital F's.