Gothics & Old English Typefaces. There is often confusion between Gothic Blackletter faces and what we call Old English type. What we can say is that All “Old English” fonts are Gothic, but not all Gothic fonts are “Old English.” The true Old English language was never written in what we call “Old English font” today—that name is a modern typographic misnomer.

The term “Old English” in typography usually refers to blackletter styles, particularly Textura Quadrata. However, this is somewhat misleading as the actual Old English language (Anglo-Saxon, used from the fifth through eleventh centuries) was typically written in Insular scripts, which look quite different from the later blackletter styles many associate with “Old English” typography. “Old English” was actually the language of the Anglo-Saxons until the mid 1100s and they had nothing to do with Blackletter. Centuries after Blackletter’s initial emergence, “Old English Text” was the name of a font by Monotype that mimicked eleventh century Textura.

Modern Old English fonts include Old English Text MT, which is based on Textura Quadrata, often with decorative capitals, Cloister Black,  Engravers Old English, used on diplomas and wedding invitations, and a number of  Ornamental variations with type foundries sometimes adding swashes, outline versions, or engraved shading to classic blackletter faces, such as those in the Faust Gothic typeface.

Ornamental Gothic Fonts. Ornamental Gothic fonts possess elaborate capitals, initial letters that are often highly decorated, with swirls, flourishes, or foliage (sometimes called “Lombardic capitals” when round). These capitals may contain internal ornamentation such as hatching, shading, or miniature drawings. A fine example is the font found in C.A. Faust’s 75 New Alphabets in showcasing a Modified Gothic Alphabet, by G. DeFelice, New York City. This font has been digitally recreated and adapted for use by CARE Typography. It is available for purchase and use.

Such ornamental fonts have intricate strokes, with stems and crossbars that may include spur-like extensions, curls, or diamond finials. Pen strokes often show “broken” or “fractured” angles that create a textured look. Thick verticals and thin connecting lines give a dramatic texture. Many ornamental Gothic faces accentuate this contrast with embellished serifs or small spikes. Some of these fonts have decorative ligatures, letters are frequently joined in ornate ligatures (e.g., “ct,” “st,” “Th”). These ligatures may have extra curves or swoops that fill the space between letters.



Ornamental caps may use color and gold in original manuscripts. Historically, ornamental Gothic scripts in illuminated manuscripts often included red, blue, or gold initials, with pen-drawn filigree or “trailing vines” (called flourishing or “rinceaux”).

Modern American Gothics. “Gothic typefaces” in American usage historically refer not to medieval blackletter scripts (as in Europe), but to sans-serif typefaces, especially from the late nineteenth to mid-twentieth century. American printers and foundries used the term “Gothic” for what we’d now simply call sans-serifs.

As early as the 1830s, “Gothic” became the standard name for sans-serif display faces. They were mostly used for advertising, posters, and signage rather than book typography. Key features included condensed proportions, simple strokes, minimal contrast, and sometimes quirky letterforms. Boston Gothic (c. 1837) was one of the earliest American sans-serifs. Franklin Gothic (1902, Morris Fuller Benton, ATF) with its heavy, industrial feel, became a dominant American sans-serif for headlines. News Gothic (1908, Benton, ATF) was lighter and more neutral than Franklin Gothic, ideal for newspaper text and display.

Trade Gothic (1948, Jackson Burke, Linotype) is a workhorse sans used heavily in advertising and newspaper headlines. It is more irregular and “lively” than the geometric European faces (like Futura). Gothic No. 13 / Highway Gothic (FHWA Series, 1940s–50s) was designed by the U.S. Federal Highway Administration for road signage. It is functional and legible at distance and speed rather than stylish.



Gotham, an example of late twentieth century Neo-Gothics (2000, Hoefler & Frere-Jones), is based on mid-20th century American sign lettering and architectural sans-serifs. It gained fame in Barack Obama’s 2008 campaign branding. Gotham’s designer notes that “Gotham celebrates the attractive and unassuming lettering of the city. New York is teeming with such letters, handmade sans serifs that share a common underlying structure, an engineer’s idea of “basic lettering” that transcends both the characteristics of their materials and the mannerisms of their makers. These are the cast bronze numbers that give office doorways their authority, and the markings on cornerstones whose neutral and equable style defies the passage of time. They’re the matter-of-fact neon signs that emblazon liquor stores and pharmacies, and the names of proprietors plainly painted on delivery trucks. These letters are straightforward and non-negotiable, yet possessed of great personality, and often expertly made. And although designers have lived with them for more than half a century, they remarkably went unrevived until 2000, when we introduced Gotham.”

SOURCES

(1). 33 Medieval Fonts Perfect for ‘Ye Olde’ Designs in 2025

Jack Nolan Updated Jul 23, 2025

https://designworklife.com/medieval-fonts-fantasy-or-renaissance-flair/

He highlights Silvermoon, Goldiwak, The Quironax, Synthetic Stone, Dragonhelm, Inkwell Scribe, Dragonit, Cikond, Hortens, Black Kinger, Black Baron Typeface, NCL Jurgen Farbache, Basefigh, Raven Hell Round, Iron Steel, Odd Times, Enigmatic Waesbendly (Modern Blackletter), Falcone, Enchant, Marcus, Windshire, Fenrir Gothic, Ambrosia, Heraldic Shadows, The Hero King Typeface, Raven Hell Regular, Wicked Knight, Lordish Blackletter, The White Knight (my second choice), Distropiax (3rd choice), King Castle, Moleta, Othelie.