In trademark treatises it is usually reported that blacksmiths who made swords in the Roman Empire are thought of as being the first users of trademarks. Other notable trademarks that have been used for a long time include Löwenbräu, which claims use of its lion mark since 1383, and Stella Artois, which claims use since 1366.

Registered trademarks involve registering the trademark with the government. The oldest registered trademarks in various countries include:

  • United Kingdom: 1876 – The Bass Brewery‘s Red Triangle for ale was the first trademark to be registered under the Trade Mark Registration Act 1875.
  • United States: 1884 – A picture of Samson wrestling a lion was registered to Sampson Rope.

In 1980, there were fewer than ten thousand registered high-tech trademarks in the United States. In 2011, there are more than 300,000.