In this concept paper, the development of strategies for the integration of first-principles methods with crystallographic database mining for the discovery and design of novel ferroelectric materials is discussed, drawing on the results and experience derived from exploratory investigations on three different systems: (1) the double perovskite Sr(Sb 1/2 Mn 1/2 )O3 as a candidate semiconducting ferroelectric; (2) polar derivatives of schafarzikite M Sb2O4; and (3) ferroelectric semiconductors with formula M2P2(S,Se)6. A variety of avenues for further research and investigation are suggested, including automated structure type classification, low-symmetry improper ferroelectrics, and highthroughput first-principles searches for additional representatives of structural families with desirable functional properties.