Flag of New Jersey
The New Jersey flag is a buff-colored field, a tan-yellow shade, carrying the state coat of arms. Liberty and Ceres stand beside a shield of three plows, over the motto Liberty and Prosperity and the date 1776.
What the New Jersey state flag looks like
The state flag of New Jersey is a field of buff, a light tan-yellow color, with the state coat of arms in the center. The arms are drawn mainly in blue and other colors, which stand out against the buff background.
The coat of arms includes:
- A shield with three plows.
- A helmet above the shield, topped by a horse's head.
- Two female figures standing on either side: Liberty on the left, holding a staff topped with a liberty cap, and Ceres, the Roman goddess of agriculture, on the right, holding a cornucopia.
- A ribbon below the shield with the motto Liberty and Prosperity and the year 1776.
New Jersey flag meaning and symbolism
The three plows on the shield stand for agriculture, which gave New Jersey its nickname, the Garden State. The horse's head crest is a traditional heraldic emblem. Liberty stands for freedom and Ceres for abundance, which fits the motto Liberty and Prosperity. The year 1776 marks the Declaration of Independence and the year New Jersey adopted its first state constitution.
The buff color is linked to the American Revolution. In 1779 George Washington ordered that the New Jersey regiments wear dark blue coats faced with buff, and blue and buff are often called the colors of New Jersey. The yellow-tan field is therefore a historic uniform color, not gold or bright yellow.
History of the New Jersey flag
The coat of arms dates to the Revolutionary period. The state adopted its Great Seal in 1777, and the design was drawn by Pierre Eugene du Simitiere. New Jersey regiments carried flags in the Revolution, and flags with the arms were used in the Civil War.
The state legislature formally adopted the present flag in 1896, with a buff field and the state arms. The flag has stayed the same since. For comparison, see New Hampshire, or look through all U.S. state flags.
New Jersey flag colors
#E1B584RGB
225, 181, 132CMYK
0, 20, 41, 12#2484C6RGB
36, 132, 198CMYK
82, 33, 0, 22New Jersey flag facts
| Adopted | March 30, 1896 |
|---|---|
| Proportions | 3:5 |
| State capital | Trenton |
| Population | 9,288,994 |
New Jersey state flag FAQ
Why is the NJ flag yellow?
The field is buff, a tan-yellow color. It comes from the buff facings on New Jersey uniforms in the Revolutionary War, and it was chosen for the flag in 1896.
What is the official flag of New Jersey?
It is a buff field with the state coat of arms in the center. The arms show a shield with three plows, flanked by Liberty and Ceres.
What does the New Jersey state motto mean?
Liberty and Prosperity is written on the ribbon at the bottom of the coat of arms. It pairs freedom with the abundance symbolized by farming.
What are the two women on the New Jersey flag?
Liberty holds a staff with a liberty cap. Ceres, the Roman goddess of agriculture, holds a cornucopia.
When was the New Jersey flag adopted?
The legislature adopted it in 1896. The coat of arms on it dates to 1777.
