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Florida

Country

United States

Adopted

24 September 1900(modified in May 1985)

Score in 2001 NAVA survey

5.17/10 (34th of 72) Wikipedia article Flags of the World article

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For the Uruguayan department, see Florida Department.

The flag of Florida consists of a red saltire, St. Andrew's Cross, on a white background, with the state seal superimposed on the center. The design was approved by a popular referendum in 1900. The current design has been in use since 1985, after the state seal was graphically improved and officially sanctioned for use by state officials.

While both the modern Alabama and Florida state flags may have some historical tribute to Spanish rule in their design, both were definitely patterned after the battle flags of the Army of Northern Virginia (ANV)- under which the bulk of the troops from both states fought.

Both of these flags have documentation stating the influence of the ANV battle flags in their design - particularly the flag of Alabama - which was created under the administration of Governor William Oates. Oates was a former regimental commander in the ANV. He is most famous for leading the confederate assault on Little Round Top at the Battle of Gettysburg. [Text from FotW]

Contents

• 1 Historical Flags
  • 1.1 Other Unofficial Flags
• 2 Proposals for a New Flag of Florida
• 3 Most common symbolism
  • 3.1 Cross of Burgundy
  • 3.2 Orange disc

Historical Flags[]

Shown below are various flags that have flown over what is now Florida.

Cross of Burgundy flag, flag of the Spanish Empire from the 16th to the 19th centuries.The Spanish flag after 1785. Its colors are reflected in the present seal of Florida.Provisional flag of Florida.January 13 – September 12, 1861Florida's first state flag was adopted during the American Civil War. Design by Governor Perry.1861 – 1868Flag of Florida.1868 – 1900Flag of Florida, first version containing the cross, lacked standardized seal and ratio.1900Flag of Florida.1900 – 1985

Other Unofficial Flags[]

Flag of the State of Muskogee.1799Flag of the Republic of West Florida, an unrecognized republic declared in 1810. Part of the Florida Parishes today.Fla of the Republic of East Florida, an unrecognized republic declared by insurgents from Georgia in 1812.Flag of the Republic of the Floridas, a short-lived attempt to establish an independent Florida provinces in 1817.The 1845 State Flag, unfurled at the inauguration of William Moseley as first governor after statehood in 1845.

Proposals for a New Flag of Florida[]

Shown below are various designs that have been proposed for a new flag of Florida.

Florida Flag Proposal by ZolntsaFL Flag Proposal "jonlethon"The green triangle represents the lush green of Florida, the white triangles on the side represent the white sand beaches and white wave caps of the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Ocean. The blue rectangle is the cloudless sky over Florida, and the yellow semi-circle is the sun rising over the Sunshine StateFL Flag Proposal "charl"FL Flag Proposal "lyly"FL Flag Proposal "everythingpossible"FL Proposal "FlagFreak"FL Flag Proposal "Splarnst 1"FL Flag Proposal "Splarnst 2"FL Flag Proposal "Splarnst 3"FL Flag Proposal "Andy Rash"FL Flag Proposal "LeonardoP"FL Flag Proposal "LeonardoP 2"FL Flag Proposal "Tibbetts 1"FL Flag Proposal "Tibbetts 2"FL Flag Proposal "VoronX"FL Flag Proposal "ironchefshark"FL Flag Proposal "Jack Expo"FL Flag Proposal "Lord Grattan 1"FL Flag Proposal "Lord Grattan 2"FL Flag Proposal "Sammy"FL Flag Proposal "Pimsleurable"FL Flag Proposal "Unholy Mistress"FL Flag Proposal "Dutchie"FL Flag Proposal "Graphicology"FL Flag Proposal "AlternateUniverseDesigns"FL Flag Proposal "Sunshine and Waves - by Usacelt"FL Flag Proposal by KermitdefrogFlorida State Flag Proposal No. 2 Designed By: Stephen Richard Barlow 11 OCT 2014 at 0948hrs cstFL Proposal "lizard-socks"FL Proposal "lizard-socks" modified by Ben KarnellFL Proposal "lizard-socks" modified by Ben KarnellFL Proposal "lizard-socks" modified by Ben KarnellFL Proposal "Rebranding America" modified by Ben KarnellFL Proposal "Rebranding America" modified by Ben KarnellFlorida flag proposal by Rebranding America, modified by HansLN. Sep 2015.FL Proposal "Rebranding America" modified by SimplisticFlags. March 2019. (details)FL Flag Proposal "BigRed618"Florida flag proposal 1 by HansLN. Dec 2013. (details)Florida flag proposal 2 by HansLN. Jan 2015. (details)Florida flag proposal 3 by HansLN. Oct 2016. (details)Florida State Flag Symplistic Proposal. A sun rising over the ocean in the Sunshine State. By Ed Mitchell. 2013.Florida State Flag Proposal No. 5 Designed By: Stephen Richard Barlow 13 JAN 2015 at 0849 HRS CSTFlorida State Flag Proposal No. 6 Designed By: Stephen Richard Barlow 14 JAN 2015 at 0943 HRS CST.Florida state flag proposal by NATHANIEL TANGFlorida state flag proposal by NATHANIEL TANGFlorida state flag proposal by NATHANIEL TANGFlorida Flag Proposal No. 6g Designed By: Stephen Richard Barlow 21 AUG 2015 at 1005 HRS CST.FL Flag Proposal "Jabask"FL Flag Proposal "Shredder797"FL Flag Proposal "Szwab"FL Flag Proposal "Zmijugaloma"Florida flag proposal by Achaley.FL flag proposal "5thEye"Florida Flag Proposal by TechMountenDewFlorida Flag Proposal "Sargon the Greatest"Florida Flag proposal by nhprman Aug 2016Argent Saltire on Tenne field. With or without 5-pointed star. Design by Rotten Ali.Florida flag proposed by Ken Morton. "Three worlds meet." The colors of this flag represent the three peoples who's histories and contributions have made Florida as it is today; black for Africans, white for Europeans and red for the native peoples of Florida.Bonnie Burgundy Flag (Florida Flag Proposal by FlappyFlop16)FL Flag Proposal "apollohawkridge"Proposal for a flag for Florida. By Qaz Dec 2019 (details)Proposal for a flag for Florida. By Qaz Dec 2019 (details)Proposed flag for Florida. Twenty-seven rays emanate from the sun symbol. Florida is the 27th State. The central decorative pattern and color scheme are taken from Seminole textile designs. (Posted by Ken Morton)Part of a series of fifty state flag designs, all in blue and white. (Posted by Ken Morton)FL Flag Proposal by Luismanuel1995.Flag of Florida proposal by Ceasingmango426. August 2020.Sun, Orange, Spanish Saltire, Orange Blossom Flower, and Palm TreeRedesign by SimplisticFlags. February 2021. (details)Flag based upon the coat of arms of the Crown of Castile. Posted by Ken MortonResults from the US State Flags age on Facebook. Feb/Mar 2021. Very close result.Construction sheet for our winner.FL Redesign proposal by "Fdajax"FL Redesign by "Landon53"Renewed Redesign by "Landon53"FL flag redesign 1 by MysteryManOnAir, Sep 2024.FL flag redesign 2 by MysteryManOnAir, Sep 2024.FL flag redesign 3 by MysteryManOnAir, Sep 2024.Florida flag redesign by Lewis Designs, Apr 2025. (details)Florida flag redesign by IotaEarthling, Jun 2025. (Reddit)Florida flag redesign by Maxwell Feldmann, Jul 2025. (details)

Most common symbolism[]

Cross of Burgundy[]

A red roughly-pruned saltire (also known as St. Andrew's cross). Used as Spanish naval ensign from 1506 to 1701, and as battle flag up to 1843. It was specially used as insignia to Spanish Empire overseas viceroyalties - Florida was part of the Viceroyalty of New Spain. Its Spanish usage dates from the marriage between Philip I of Spain and Mary of Burgundy, when the king decided to honor the House of Burgundy, the royal house of his new mother-in-law.

Its origins are discussed: it can be firstly adopted by the Order of the Golden Fleece, in 1429, but, in the 1490s, the writer Pedro de Ayala claims it was adopted by a previous Duke of Burgundy in tribute to his Scottish soldiers.

In the designs, it can appear both as a roughly-pruned saltire or as a straight saltire (as it appears in current state flag).

Orange disc[]

Many designs use an orange circle, that can represent either or both of two symbols: the Sun or an orange. Florida has tropical and subtropical climates, and "Sunshine State" is its nickname. The orange refers to the fact that citrus fruit, especially oranges, are a major part of the state economy. Florida produces the majority of citrus fruit grown in the United States.

Sometimes, the orange disc is substituted by other depictions of the sun.

Florida V • T

Consolidated City–Counties Jacksonville Counties Alachua County Baker County Bay County Bradford County Brevard County Broward County Calhoun County Charlotte County Citrus County Clay County Collier County Columbia County DeSoto County Dixie County Duval County Escambia County Flagler County Franklin County Gadsden County Gilchrist County Glades County Gulf County Hamilton County Hardee County Hendry County Hernando County Highlands County Hillsborough County Holmes County Indian River County Jackson County Jefferson County Lafayette County Lake County Lee County Leon County Levy County Liberty County Madison County Manatee County Marion County Martin County Miami-Dade County Monroe County Nassau County Okaloosa County Okeechobee County Orange County Osceola County Palm Beach County Pasco County Pinellas County Polk County Putnam County St. Johns County St. Lucie County Santa Rosa County Sarasota County Seminole County Sumter County Suwannee County Taylor County Union County Volusia County Wakulla County Walton County Washington County Municipalities Aventura Apopka Cocoa Beach Cooper City Coral Gables Coral Springs Fort Lauderdale Hialeah Hialeah Gardens Hollywood Holmes Beach Key West Lake Wales Lauderdale Lakes Lauderhill Miami Miami Beach Mount Dora Orlando Palm Bay Palm Beach Pembroke Pines Pompano Beach Port Orange St. Petersburg South Miami Tallahassee Tampa Tamarac West Miami Zephyrhills Neighborhoods Little Havana Ybor City Tribes Seminole Tribe of Florida Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida

United States V • T

States and federal district Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware District of Columbia Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Territories American Samoa Guam Northern Mariana Islands Puerto Rico United States Virgin Islands United States Minor Outlying Islands