Fanwood Text

serif · Designed by Barry Schwartz

Fanwood Text: Sphinx of black quartz, judge my vow

Available weights

Instant CSS & Tailwind Generator

Snippet updates automatically to match whichever weight you select above.

Get this font on Google Fonts

What do I do with this?

Just want to use the font? Click "Get this font on Google Fonts" to download it or add it directly to a document, design tool (like Canva or Photoshop), or your computer's font list.

Building a website? Click "Copy Font Code" to copy a short snippet, then paste it into your website's HTML (usually inside the <head> section) to use this font on your site.

Fanwood Text is a serif typeface with a classic, literary feel rooted in the tradition of early 20th-century book typography. It has moderate stroke contrast, bracketed serifs, and slightly condensed letterforms that give it a refined but unpretentious look. The overall impression is warm and readable rather than formal or stiff, making it approachable without sacrificing the credibility that comes with a well-constructed serif. It reads comfortably at body text sizes and holds up reasonably well in longer passages of copy.

This font works well for editorial projects such as online magazines, literary journals, or long-form blog content where readability and a sense of tradition matter. It suits book-related branding, author websites, and publishing platforms that want a classic print feel without leaning into overly decorative territory. It could also serve effectively in academic or educational contexts, such as an online course platform or a research publication, where trust and legibility are priorities over stylistic boldness.

Best suited for: Long-form digital editorial, literary journals, book-related branding, academic publishing platforms, and author websites seeking classical serif typography with strong readability.

Design considerations: Fanwood Text's moderate contrast and bracketed serifs support extended reading while maintaining a literary sensibility across both regular and italic variants. The slightly condensed letterforms balance traditional aesthetics with practical screen legibility, making it suitable for both print-inspired digital layouts and academic contexts.

Pairing guidance: Pair Fanwood Text with Playfair Display for elegant display hierarchy in editorial layouts, Source Serif 4 for sophisticated all-serif compositions with flexible weight options, or Josefin Sans to introduce contemporary contrast while preserving a refined, approachable tone across headings and body text.

Pairs well with

Playfair Display Source Serif 4 Josefin Sans

Fanwood Text at a glance

Designer

Barry Schwartz

License

SIL Open Font License 1.1

Added to Google Fonts

August 2011

Last updated

September 2025

Styles

2 (1 weight + italics)

Classification

Serif

Character sets

2

Distributed via

Google Fonts

All 2 Fanwood Text styles

Weight Name Upright Italic
400 Regular Aa Bb Gg 123 Aa Bb Gg 123

Fanwood Text character map

Uppercase

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Lowercase

a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z

Numbers and punctuation

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 ! ? & @ # % $ € £ ( ) [ ] { } . , : ; " ' - / * + =

Latin Extended (sample)

Ā Ă Ą Ć Č Ď Đ Ē Ę Ě Ğ Ī Į İ Ĺ Ľ Ł Ń Ň Ő Œ Ř Ś Ş Š Ť Ů Ű Ź Ż Ž

Which languages does Fanwood Text support?

Fanwood Text includes 2 character sets:

  • Latin: English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese and other Western European languages
  • Latin Extended: Central and Eastern European languages such as Polish, Czech, Turkish, Romanian and Hungarian

It does not include Cyrillic or Greek characters, so it can't set Russian, Ukrainian or Greek text.

Can I use Fanwood Text commercially?

Yes, it's free for personal and commercial use. Fanwood Text is released under the SIL Open Font License 1.1. You can use it in logos, websites, apps, videos, printed products and merchandise without paying or asking permission. The one thing you can't do is sell the font file on its own.

Fonts similar to Fanwood Text

Fanwood Text FAQ

Is Fanwood Text free for commercial use?

Yes. Fanwood Text is licensed under the SIL Open Font License 1.1, so you can use it in commercial projects, including logos, client work and products you sell.

Which weights does Fanwood Text include?

Fanwood Text comes in a single weight, Regular (400), with a matching italic.

Does Fanwood Text support Cyrillic?

No. Fanwood Text supports Latin and Latin Extended, but not Cyrillic.

Who designed Fanwood Text?

Fanwood Text was designed by Barry Schwartz. It was added to Google Fonts in August 2011.