U.S. state · TX
Flag of Texas
The Texas flag, known as the Lone Star Flag, has a blue vertical band at the hoist with one white star, beside two equal horizontal bands of white over red. It was adopted as the national flag of the Republic of Texas in 1839.
What the Texas flag looks like
The Texas flag has a simple three-part layout. A vertical blue band covers the left third of the flag, and a single white five-pointed star sits in its center, pointing upward. The remaining two thirds are split into two equal horizontal bands, white on top and red below.
The proportions are 2:3 and the blue band is exactly one third of the length. Because it has no seal, no text and no extra symbol, it is easy to recognize, and a 2001 survey by the North American Vexillological Association ranked it second among 72 U.S. state, territorial and Canadian provincial flags (see U.S. state flags). The same pattern is used in many other places in Texas, from license plates to the walls of buildings.
Texas flag meaning and symbolism
The single star gives Texas its nickname, the Lone Star State. It first stood for Texas as a separate and independent republic, and it has come to mean state pride and the unity of all Texans. The star is usually described as a symbol of the whole state rather than any one region.
The colors share the red, white and blue of the flag of the United States. The 1933 Texas flag code assigns them meanings: blue for loyalty, white for purity and red for bravery. The code adds that the lone star represents all of Texas and stands for unity. In 2001 the Legislature set the shades as the colors of the U.S. flag, defined as Pantone 193 (red) and 281 (dark blue).
History of the Texas flag
Texas declared independence from Mexico in 1836. The first national flag of the new republic, sometimes called the Burnet flag, was a blue field with a large gold star. The design we know today was adopted by the Congress of the Republic of Texas on 25 January 1839, and the legislation was introduced by Senator William H. Wharton. The actual designer is unknown; some historians and the Texas Legislature in 1989 name Charles B. Stewart.
Texas joined the United States in 1845, and the Lone Star Flag became the state flag. From 1879 to 1933 Texas had no official state flag by law, although the Lone Star Flag was still used in practice. In 1933 the legislature passed a flag law that made the design official and set rules for displaying it. It also introduced a pledge to the flag, which was extended in 2007 with the words "under God".
The phrase "six flags over Texas" refers to six governments that have ruled the land: Spain, France, Mexico, the Republic of Texas and the United States, among others.
Flying the Texas flag
A popular belief says the Texas flag can fly higher than the American flag because Texas was once an independent country. That is a myth. Under the U.S. Flag Code, no state flag is flown above the national flag, and Texas is not an exception. On separate poles any state flag may fly at the same height as the national flag, and the Texas Flag Code says the same for the Texas flag, which is where the confusion comes from. Texas also has a state flag pledge and rules on handling and retiring worn flags.
Texas flag colors
#FFFFFFRGB
255, 255, 255CMYK
0, 0, 0, 0#BF0A30RGB
191, 10, 48CMYK
0, 95, 75, 25#00205BRGB
0, 32, 91CMYK
100, 65, 0, 64Texas flag facts
| Adopted | January 25, 1839 |
|---|---|
| Proportions | 2:3 |
| State capital | Austin |
| State motto | Friendship |
| Population | 29,145,505 |
Texas state flag FAQ
Why does the Texas flag have one star?
The lone star represents all of Texas and stands for unity. It is also an older symbol of Texans' solidarity and independent spirit, which gave the state its nickname, the Lone Star State.
What do the colors of the Texas flag mean?
Under the Texas Flag Code, blue stands for loyalty, white for purity and red for bravery. They are also the colors of the U.S. flag.
What is the only flag that can fly above the U.S. flag?
The U.S. Flag Code does not allow any state flag to be flown above the national flag. Its only well-known exception is the church pennant during services conducted by naval chaplains at sea. Texas is often said to be an exception, but it is not; on separate poles any state flag may fly at the same height as the national flag.
Why does Texas have a different flag?
Every U.S. state has its own flag. The Texas design dates from the independent Republic of Texas in 1839 and was kept as the state flag after Texas joined the Union in 1845.
Who has the same flag as Texas?
No one has the identical flag, but the flag of Chile, first used in 1817, is very similar. Chile has a blue square canton with a white star and the red stripe starts below it, while on Texas the whole hoist side is blue. Both are called "La Estrella Solitaria" in Spanish, the lone star.
Why does the Texas flag have two stripes?
The two stripes, white above red, are said to go back to the short-lived Republic of Fredonia of 1826, whose flag used a red and a white stripe to show unity between Anglo settlers and Native American tribes. The vertical blue band holds the lone star.
Is the Texas flag on the left or right?
When flown beside the U.S. flag, the Texas flag goes on the viewer's right, because the American flag is placed on its own right, which is the viewer's left. On a shared pole the Texas flag flies below the U.S. flag. Shown vertically, the blue stripe is at the top.
What is the difference between the U.S. flag and the Texas flag?
The U.S. flag has 13 red and white stripes and 50 stars on a blue canton. The Texas flag has a blue vertical band with one star, plus one white and one red horizontal stripe. Both use the same red, white and blue, set by Texas law in 2001 to match the U.S. flag.
