The US Bancorp logo: What is the symbol of US Bancorp?

US Bancorp Logo

How much do you know about the US Bancorp logo? Otherwise known simply as the “US Bank,” US Bancorp is one of the better-known financial institutions in the American landscape.

Though its logo is relatively simple, the emblem sends a strong message about the company’s commitment to trust, safety, and security for its customers.

The US Bancorp logo is a variation of the better-known US Bank logo, as the two companies are the same. US Bancorp is the publicly traded “parent company” of the US Bank.

While the organization typically uses “US Bancorp” in formal filings and corporate documents, you’ll see the US Bank logo on branch doorways and your mobile banking app.

Today, we will take a closer look at the history of US Bancorp and how its emblem has evolved over the years.

What happened to US Bancorp?

Is Bancorp the same as US Bank?

Exploring the history of US Bancorp can be complicated, as many people assume US Bancorp and the US Bank are two separate entities. However, the reality is both organizations are one.

US Bancorp is still a thriving financial company, although you might not see the name distributed worldwide within banking locations.

Over the years, the US Bank and US Bancorp have undergone several changes. Today, the name “US Bank” used by the Bancorp corporation originally appeared as the “US National Bank of Portland” in 1891.

This company merged with the Ainsworth National Bank of Portland before eventually changing its name to the United States National Bank of Oregon. In January 1969, the US National Bank of Oregon became a holding company and adopted the new name “US Bancorp.”

Today, “US Bancorp” is used for corporate documents and filing purposes, while “US Bank” is used on the company’s products, services, and branches.

What type of bank is US Bancorp?

US Bancorp is the parent company of the US Bank National Association and is currently the fifth-largest financial banking institution in the US. 

The company provides various banking, mortgage, investment, payment, and trust services to government entities, businesses, individuals, and other financial groups. It’s also considered a “systemically important” bank, according to the Financial Stability board.

Is Bancorp a real bank?

Yes, “Bancorp” is a payment services provider, lender, and banking institution in the United States that supports various customers’ banking and payment needs.

Indeed, the Bancorp Bank has even been providing non-bank companies with the processes, banking technology, and people they need to operate financially.

What is the symbol of US Bancorp? US Bank logo history

Since US Bancorp uses the “US Bank” name in most of its branding assets, looking at the US Bancorp logo history means diving into the evolution of the US Bank icon. The “US Bank” symbol is the core visual asset US Bancorp uses today.

US Bancorp Logo

Before the 1990s

One of the original versions of the US Bancorp or US Bank logos shared by the company online doesn’t have a clear date attached to it to indicate when it was designed. However, we know this emblem was in use before the 1990s and the rise of the internet.

The original US Bank logo contained a rectangular shield-style emblem with a pointed base, similar to the design we know today. The emblem was depicted in a monochrome black and white palette, with bold and blocky sans-serif font for the wordmark.

US Bancorp Logo

1990

Following the 1990s, the US Bancorp group updated the logo for the US Bank to make it more colorful and eye-catching.

The brand chose to exchange the black and white color palette with a patriotic image in red, white, and blue shades. The bank’s name was depicted in deep blue, with a bold sans-serif font, a little slimmer in design than the previous version.

The shield-style emblem was updated to include the shape of an eagle’s head on the top. The entire US Bank symbol was underlined in deep red.

US Bancorp Logo

1998

In 1998, US Bancorp introduced the most recent variation of its logo, which has remained with the company for over two decades. The image is a far more modern symbol for the company, featuring the word “bank” in dark blue and the letters “US” in white on a red shield-shape background.

The colors red, white, and blue remained with the company in this iteration. However, the font has evolved from uppercase to lowercase, making the design appear more modern and friendly. A variation of the US Bank logo for the US Bancorp company is also available in the same style.

US Bancorp Logo

However, the colors used in the US Bancorp logo are slightly different. The shade of blue is a little warmer.

The US Bancorp logo meaning, fonts, and colors

The US Bancorp and the US Bank logos are fantastic examples of eye-catching, effective, and compelling logos for the financial sector. They’re both depicted in patriotic red, white, and blue colors.

They also both feature bold, sans-serif typography choices, designed to make the company appear more contemporary and youth-friendly.

Perhaps the most crucial element of the US Bancorp and US Bank logo is the shield design, which has been a core component of the company’s imagery for a number of years.

The shield shape is a positive choice for a financial corporation, as it helps to connect the organization with ideas of security, safety, and protection – all factors customers look for in a bank.

While the shield’s design has changed somewhat over the years, its purpose of showing the company’s credibility and reliability has remained the same. If you’d like to explore the US Bancorp logo in closer detail, you can find some resources here:

Originally, the US Bancorp logo color palette chosen for the US Bank branding was relatively simplistic, depicted in simple black and white. However, as the company and its brand identity evolved, the organization adopted a more patriotic color palette.

Today, the US Bancorp logo official colors are red, white, and blue, the same shades as the American flag. The two US Bancorp logo colors you’ll need to be aware of are:

Rusty Red:
Hex: #D8273F
RGB: (216, 39, 63)
CMYK: 0, 0.819, 0.708, 0.152

Midnight Blue:
Hex: #00438F
RGB: (0, 67, 143)
CMYK: 1, 0.531, 0, 0.439

What font does the US Bancorp logo use?

The font used in the US Bancorp and the US Bank logo is the same, sans-serif typeface, depicted in all lowercase letters. The bold lettering conveys confidence, modernity, sophistication, and strength for the financial brand.

Experts believe this font belongs to the relatively large Helvetica family, created by Haas’sche Schriftgiesserei. The typeface is similar to Helvetica Neue LT Bold and the fonts you might see across numerous brand logos for companies like Google and Samsung.

Learning from the Bancorp US Bank symbol

Exploring the history of the US Bancorp logo is complicated because the Bancorp brand hasn’t always invested in placing its official corporate name on branding assets.

While US Bancorp might appear on official documents created by the company, it’s more common for customers of the bank to see the name “US Bank” instead.

While the background of the US Bancorp logo might be complicated, we can see through the various iterations of the US Bank logo that the company’s visual identity has changed significantly over the years.

The image has grown more modern, patriotic, and friendly over the decades to help attract a broader range of potential customers.

Today, the US Bancorp logo symbolizes strength, confidence, professionalism, and protection. The core component of the logo – the red shield, reminds customers they can trust US Bancorp to protect their most valuable assets.

Fabrik: A branding agency for our times.

Stephen Peate
Creative director
Stephen Peate
Creative director
As Fabrik’s creative director, Stephen oversees complex branding programmes. He advises our clients on their tone of voice, creates logos and visual identities and crafts names for companies, products and services. Writing for Brand Fabrik Stephen reflects his love for logo design and visual identity.

  • Sign up for updates

    Sign up for your regular dose of Brand Fabrik and be the first to receive insights and inspiration.

  • Sign up for updates

    Sign up for your regular dose of Brand Fabrik and be the first to receive insights and inspiration.

Explore