Common Symbols on State Flags (and what they really mean)
State flags pack a ton of story into a few colors and shapes. This guide breaks down the most common symbols, what they signal, why they stuck, and how to spot them fast. Think of it as your cheat sheet for U.S. vexillology, clear, quick, and actually useful.
Stars
Counting states, signaling identity, and borrowing from the night sky.
Stars ⭐
On state flags, stars usually count something (divisions, order of statehood) or nod to the broader American ‘stars’ language.
Examples: Tennessee (3 stars = Grand Divisions), Alaska (Big Dipper + North Star), Colorado (gold disk ≈ sun), Texas (lone star)
Counting: Tennessee’s three stars = East, Middle, West. Ohio’s 17 stars = 17th state (on the burgee).
Navigation & aspiration: Alaska’s North Star is a classic “guidance” motif.
Identity: Texas’s lone star is… well, the brand.
Constellations & Disks
Not every ‘dot’ is a star—sometimes it’s the sun. Read the context: rays, position, and color tell you which is which.
Examples: Arizona (sun rays), New Mexico (Zia sun), Alaska (constellation)
Eagles
Power, freedom, and a very American vibe.
Eagles 🦅
If you see an eagle, you’re probably looking at a state seal. The bird stands in for national strength and sovereignty.
Examples: Pennsylvania, North Dakota, Illinois, Michigan (in arms)
Olive branch + arrows: Peace and readiness for war, mirrors the U.S. coat of arms.
Shielded chest: The union over the states.
AE tip: If it feels federal, it probably is, the eagle ties state identity back to the nation.
Double birds & friends
Less common on state flags, but you’ll meet pelicans (Louisiana) or other wildlife standing in for local character.
Examples: Louisiana (pelican), Oregon reverse (beaver), Wyoming (bison silhouette + seal)
Seals & Coats of Arms
The ‘busy blue’ club—and how to read them fast.
Seals on Blue
Many states drop their historical coat of arms onto a blue field. It’s traditional, but dense.
Examples: Pennsylvania, New York, Michigan, Wisconsin, Montana, Nebraska
How to scan: Look for supporters (animals or figures), a central shield (land, water, tools), and a motto ribbon. That's the story, values, economy, landscape.
Why so common? States built identity from seals first; the flag came later.
Modern clean-ups
A few states are ditching the seal-on-blue for simpler, symbolic designs.
Examples: Mississippi (2021 magnolia), Minnesota (2024 North Star), Utah (2024 beehive)
Simple flags scale better, from classrooms to mobile screens. Less tiny detail, more instant recognition.
Mottos & Ribbons
Latin, English, and straight-to-camera values.
Mottos
Short text does a lot of heavy lifting—values, origin stories, and local attitude in a few words.
Examples: Virginia: “Sic Semper Tyrannis”; Kansas: “Ad Astra per Aspera”; Michigan: “Tuebor” & more
Language: Plenty of Latin (founding-era style). Some English for clarity (e.g., Mississippi's "In God We Trust").
Placement: Usually on a ribbon under/around the seal. If the seal is the star, the motto is the caption.
Dates & Wordmarks
Years and state names help with recognition from a distance.
Examples: Wisconsin (1848), New Jersey (wordmark on arms), Oregon (front seal text)
Crosses & Saltires
Rare in the states, but when you see them, it matters.
Saltires ✖︎
Diagonal crosses point to heritage and history rather than current religion.
Examples: Alabama (crimson saltire), Florida (red saltire + state seal)
Visual twins: Alabama and Florida look related. The seal in the middle is your instant Florida tell.
Other crosses
Traditional upright crosses are uncommon on U.S. state flags.
Examples: You’ll see them more in city/county flags than state flags.
Plants & Animals
When in doubt, the landscape tells the story.
Plants 🌿
Flora = identity. If a state has an iconic plant, odds are it’s here.
Examples: Louisiana (pelican w/ nest is fauna, but note live oak themes elsewhere), Maine (pine), New Mexico (Zia sun ≈ culture + sun)
State flower/tree: Frequently appears in seals (olive, pine, sheaves, oak).
Animals 🦬
Native wildlife doubles as a brand mark.
Examples: Wyoming (bison), Oregon (beaver on reverse), Louisiana (pelican), California (bear)
Tools, Industry & Frontiers
Pioneers, mining, agriculture—basically the economy in icon form.
Agriculture & Mining
Plows, sheaves, picks, and hammers tell you exactly what built the state.
Examples: Montana (“Oro y Plata”), Kansas (sunflower + farming scenes), Nevada (silver star)
Transportation & Trade
Ships, trains, and rivers = commerce corridors.
Examples: Pennsylvania (ships on shield), New York (river + sunrise), New Hampshire (USS Raleigh)
Color Signals
Colors aren’t random. They’re shortcuts.
Blues, Reds, Golds
American palettes lean federal—navy, scarlet, gold—plus local twists.
Examples: Colorado (bold primaries), Maryland (heraldic high-contrast), New Mexico (red/gold Southwest)
Blue: Vigilance, justice, the sky/water. Also: default backdrop for seals.
Red: Courage, revolution, or just contrast.
Gold/Yellow: Prosperity, sun, wheat, desert.
Simple vs. Detailed
Simple symbols read better from a distance. If it looks great as a sticker, it’ll work on a flag.
Examples: New Mexico, Colorado, Tennessee (simple); many ‘seal-on-blue’ flags (detailed)
Quick Read: How to Decode Any State Flag
AE Cheat Sheet
- • Spot the big shape first (star, disk, saltire, beehive).
- • If it’s a seal, read the shield + motto ribbon.
- • Count stars/objects, they often map to divisions or order.
- • Check flora/fauna for local identity.
- • Colors tell mood: blue (official), red (bold), gold (sun/prosperity).
Keep Exploring
- • Compare Alabama vs Florida saltires.
- • Old seal-on-blue vs. modern minimal: Mississippi, Minnesota, Utah.
- • Shape outliers: Ohio’s burgee.