there is no known historicallyin the past accepted record of tattooing

Well, no knows. as no knows what the oldest tattoos look like. However, archaeologists have discovered a mummified body up to 7000 years elderly which show signs of having tattoos. This mummy was present in the Alps, with carbon tattoos consisting of simple dots & lines. Since this was before most civilizations discovered writing, they have no idea who they was or why they had a tattoo. Of coursework, the archaeologists have their theories, but without solid facts, they are guessing.
Now, the oldest documented cases of tattoos are Greek in 1000 BC & Egyptian in 2000 BC. No knows how to read ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics, so archaeologists are fundamentally guessing that the Egyptian tattoos were related to fertility. On the other hand, the Greek & Roman tattoos were usually used to permanently mark their slaves & criminals. Only in 6th century AD did the practice of tattoos spread to other parts of Roman society. Some records state that veteran Roman soldiers serving in Britain were tattooed as an honor of some kind.
Despite the age of Chinese civilizations, there is no known historicallyin the past accepted record of tattooing. Apparently, like the Greeks & Romans, they had a taboo against tattoos. This is unlike the Japanese, who were recorded sporting religious tattoos in 300 BC. Interestingly , tattoos in Japan did not become associated with the criminal element before widespread contact with the Western world in the 1800s.
The other major Asian civilization, India, also did not have a history of permanent tattoos. They do, however, have temporary tattoos for cosmetic use by brides. This culture of temporary tattoos for bridal ceremonies have existed since the 12th century, & are created using henna. This usage of henna seems to have come from the Egyptians & Arabs as early as 5000 years ago. The Egyptians used henna to decorate their Pharaohs before the mummification system.
Nowadays, tattoos have lost their religious angle. They also do not use it to mark criminals, unlike the ancient Greeks & Romans. Even the association with criminals is fading in modern Western civilization. Young ladies are now sporting discrete lower back tattoos as fashion statements. Hollywood celebrities are further popularizing the purely cosmetic use of tattoos.
As you can see from this brief history, tattoos have a rich & colorful past. modern improvement to the art of tattooing is the creation of online membership sites & forums on the net where you can look for hundreds or even thousands of tattoo designs. While your ancestors may have had to basically hope for the best with their crude tattoos, you no longer have the same limit.

Do you need this tattoo to be visible to other people?

When somebody you dearly love dies, you sometimes need to keep a reminder of the nice times you spent with them permanently with you. & nothing is more permanent than a tattoo. Now, before you rush off to get that tattoo, you may need to put a tiny little bit of thought in to it.
Here is list of some questions to start you thinking. You will probably come up with some questions of your own.

• Do you need this tattoo to be visible to other people? For some people, a memorial tattoo is a private & personal thing, not to be shared with other people. In case you put it on your butt, it will certainly be well-hidden. But is this what you need?
• Do you need this tattoo to be visible to yourself? In case you usually wear long-sleeved shirts or sweaters, a discreet tattoo on the inside of your wrist might be nice for you.
• How would you like to keep in mind your beloved? The happy times? Or the mournful times? Or their essential character, for nice or for ill?

Once you reply to the questions above, you can start on your design. However, in case you are not the artistic type, coming up with an appropriate tattoo design as a memorial could be an uphill battle. It helps to know what others have done in the same situation. Here are some common motifs:

• Tombstone - tombstones, in their various guises, are common in memorial tattoo art
• Name of deceased - the name of your beloved is usually placed within the tombstone design. However, an alternative is to surround their name with an appropriate border, like a border of vines.
• Symbol - in lieu of directly representing your beloved, you could choose a symbol which best represents them. For example, when you think of them, what comes to mind most readily? A rose? Or possibly a butterfly? Or even a golf club or fishing rod to represent some favourite shared activity or hobby?
• Portrait - some tattoo owners prefer to bear a portrait of their loved on their body. Do note that portraits are difficult to do. You will need proof that your tattoo artist can manage it. A reasonable alternative might be a caricature. You could ask an artist to draw a caricature of your deceased loved from a nice photograph. Pick a photograph of your beloved with an expression you need to keep in mind them by.

Do keep in mind that you do not need to do everything by yourself. In case you have a gifted tattoo artist, then you might get his help to bring your ideas to life. If not, you could join a tattoo forum or membership site & ask for help in your design.