1732–1799 · Presidents · Founders

George Washington signature

Commander of the Continental Army and first President of the United States (1732–1799)

Inspired by George Washington’s signature

A rendering in a modern handwriting font, made for this page. It is not the real signature; see where to view the original below. Where to see the original ↓Style: Meddon, slant 8°

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Meddon · 8°

Who George Washington was

George Washington (1732–1799) was a Virginia planter and surveyor who commanded the Continental Army through the War of Independence, presided over the Constitutional Convention in 1787 and served two terms as the first President of the United States, from 1789 to 1797.

He kept up an enormous correspondence for most of his life, so his signature survives on thousands of letters, orders, accounts and official papers.

The story of the signature

Washington’s usual signature was not his full name but “Go: Washington”. The “Go:” is a contraction of George, and the colon was a common eighteenth-century mark for a shortened word. Thomas Jefferson’s “Th: Jefferson” follows the same convention.

The best-known example is on the Constitution of the United States. As president of the Convention, Washington signed first, at the head of the signers, writing “Go: Washington” followed by “Presidt. and deputy from Virginia”.

One famous document he did not sign is the Declaration of Independence. He had left Congress in 1775 to take command of the army, and in the summer of 1776 he was in New York preparing its defense, so his name is not among the 56 signers.

What makes it distinctive

The contracted first name

“Go:” instead of George, a space-saving convention of the period that also gives the signature its distinctive opening.

Capitals carry the weight

The G and the W are much larger than the lowercase letters, which run in an even line between and after them.

A steady forward lean

The writing slopes moderately to the right, in the regular joined hand an educated Virginian of his generation was taught to write with a quill.

Restraint

Next to John Hancock’s big paraph, Washington’s signature is plain. Its effect comes from proportion and evenness rather than from decoration.

How to give your signature a similar feel

Try the contraction yourself: on the Type tab of the signature generator, enter a shortened first name with a colon, such as “Wm:” or “Chas:”, followed by your surname. It reads as period-correct and saves space.
Choose a font with strong capitals and a modest slope. Meddon gives a large eighteenth-century hand; set Slant to around 8° and keep Size moderate so the lowercase stays even.
If you draw your signature, make the first letter of each name clearly larger than the rest, then write the lowercase in one steady movement. The Draw tab reacts to speed like a pen, so a calm stroke gives a more even line.
Skip the underline and pick black or dark blue ink. This style relies on proportion, not ornament.

Where to see the original

These links lead to archives, libraries, museums and Wikimedia Commons.

Questions about George Washington’s signature

Why did George Washington sign “Go:”?

“Go:” is a contraction of George. Shortening a first name and marking the cut with a colon was ordinary practice in eighteenth-century writing, and Washington used this form on a great many documents.

Did George Washington sign the Declaration of Independence?

No. In 1776 he was commanding the Continental Army, not sitting in Congress, so his name is not on it. He did sign the Constitution in 1787, first among the signers.

Is the signature at the top of this page his real signature?

No. It is a typeset rendering inspired by his style, made with a handwriting font. Follow the archive links above to see the real one.