Font superfamily explained

In typography, a font superfamily or typeface superfamily is a font family containing fonts that fall into multiple classifications.

The norm in a superfamily is to start from an identical character shape; class-specific features such as serifs are added to that shape. The result is a set of fonts with a similar appearance that belong to different classes such as sans, serif, slab serif, rounded.[1] [2]

Superfamilies may include fonts grouped together for a common purpose that are not exactly complementary in letterform structure. They can allow organizations to expand their image and style while maintaining stylistic consistency. For example, BBC Reith font superfamily was commissioned by the BBC in 2018 to facilitate 'typographic expression' and consists of three styles (condensed, sans, serif) as well as a multitude of weights.[3] [4]

Notable superfamilies

Same letterforms

Berlingske: by Playtype, comprising Berlingske Serif, Berlingske Serif Display, Berlingske Serif Stencil, Berlingske sans, Berlingske Sans Display, Berlingske sans Stencil, Berlingske Slab, Berlingske Slab Display, Berlingske Slab Stencil, Berlingske Typewriter.
  • FF Meta: by Erik Spiekermann, comprising FF Meta (sans), FF Meta Serif and FF Meta Headline
  • FF Nexus: by Martin Majoor, comprising FF Nexus Sans, FF Nexus Serif, FF Nexus Mix and FF Nexus Typewriter
  • FF Quadraat: by Fred Smeijers, comprising FF Quadraat (serif), FF Quadraat Sans, FF Quadraat Display and FF Quadraat Headliner
  • FF Scala: by Martin Majoor, comprising FF Scala (serif) and FF Scala Sans
  • FF Seria: by Martin Majoor, comprising FF Seria (serif) and FF Seria Sans
  • Generis: by Erik Faulhaber, comprising Generis Sans, Generis Serif, Generis Simple and Generis Slab
  • ITC Humana: by Timothy Donaldso, comprising ITC Humana Sans, ITC Humana Serif and ITC Humana Script
  • ITC Officina
  • by Erik Spiekermann and Just van Rossum, comprising ITC Officina Sans, ITC Officina Serif and ITC Officina Display
    Linotype Authentic: by Karin Huschka, comprising Linotype Authentic Sans, Linotype Authentic Serif, Linotype Authentic Small Serif and Linotype Authentic Stencil
  • Linotype Compatil: by Olaf Leu, comprising Compatil Text, Compatil Fact, Compatil Letter and Compatil Exquisit
  • Lucida: by Charles Bigelow and Kris Holmes, comprising Lucida Sans, Lucida Serif, Lucida Typewriter Sans, Lucida Typewriter Serif and Lucida Math
  • Merriweather: by Eben Sorkin, comprising Merriweather and Merriweather Sans
  • Penumbra: by Lance Hidy, comprising Penumbra Sans, Penumbra Serif, Penumbra Half Serif and Penumbra Flare
  • PT Fonts: by Alexandra Korolkova et al, comprising PT Serif, PT Sans and PT Mono.
  • Rotis: by Otl Aicher, comprising rotis serif, rotis semi-serif, rotis semi-sans and rotis sans
  • Sassoon: by Rosemary Sassoon and Adrian William, comprising Sassoon Sans, Sassoon Book, Sassoon Primary, Sassoon Infant and Sassoon Sans Slope
  • Source: by Paul D. Hunt and Frank Grießhammer, comprising Source Sans Pro, Source Serif Pro and Source Code Pro
  • Stone: by Sumner Stone, comprising Stone Serif, Stone Sans and Stone Informal
  • Thesis: by Lucas de Groot, comprising TheSans, TheSerif, TheMix and TheAntiqua
  • Trajan: both Trajan (serif, designed by Carol Twombly) and Trajan Sans. No lower-case.

    • Same purpose

    Computer Modern: by Donald E. Knuth, comprising cmr (antiqua), cmss (grotesque) and cmtt (monospaced)
  • DejaVu and Bitstream Vera: comprising DejaVu Sans, DejaVu Sans Mono and DejaVu Serif.
  • Droid: by Steve Matteson, comprising Droid Sans, Droid Serif and Droid Sans Mono.
  • IBM Plex: by Mike Abbink, comprising IBM Plex Sans, IBM Plex Sans Condensed, IBM Plex Serif and IBM Plex Mono
  • Noto fonts: by Google, comprising Noto Sans, Noto Serif and Noto Mono, an expansion of the Droid family. It supports a wide range of languages.
  • Roboto: by Christian Robertson, comprising Roboto, Roboto Slab and Roboto Mono
  • Corporate ASE: by Kurt Weidemann, comprising antiqua, sans and Egyptienne
  • Liberation: by Steve Matteson, comprising Liberation Sans, Liberation Serif and Liberation Mono

    • Notes and References

    1. Web site: Superfamilies . 2023-06-27 . Google Fonts . en.
    2. Web site: 2020-05-06 . What are font superfamilies and why do we need them? . 2023-06-27 . Monotype. . en.
    3. Web site: Super Families - Fonts.com . 2023-06-27 . Fonts.com . en.
    4. Web site: 2017-08-07 . Typography . 2024-06-10 . GEL Website . en-GB.

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