Jack (flag) facts for kids

Royal Netherlands Navy jack

The US naval jack (2002–2019) being hoisted on USS Kitty Hawk's jackstaff in December 2001

Naval jack of the Irish Naval Service

A jack is a special flag flown at the very front of a ship, on a short pole called a jackstaff. Think of it like a ship's "front flag." At the back of the ship, a different flag called an ensign is usually flown. Jacks first started appearing on ships in the 1600s.

Different countries have different rules for their jacks. For example, a country might have a special jack just for its navy, and other ships (like fishing boats or cargo ships) might not be allowed to fly it. Some countries also have jacks for other government ships, like Coast Guard vessels. Private boats, like yachts, might fly their club flag or the owner's special flag at the front. These rules can be set by laws, traditions, or even just what people usually do.

What Does "Jack" Mean?

The word "jack" has a long history, going back to the 1300s! Originally, it was often used to mean something small or common. For example, a "jack-of-all-trades" was someone who knew a little about many things but wasn't an expert in any. It was also used for small parts of machines or games, like the small ball in bowling.

When it came to flags, a "jack" was a smaller flag, used to tell it apart from the larger main flag (the ensign). Early on, these small flags were flown from the front part of the ship called the bowsprit. Over time, a special pole, the jackstaff, was created just for flying the jack.

How and When Jacks Are Flown

Russian Navy submarine Sankt Peterburg displaying the Russian naval jack at the bow and the naval ensign at the stern

Ships usually fly their naval jack when they are not moving, such as when they are docked at a port or anchored in the water. They also fly it on special occasions, like holidays, when the ship is decorated with many flags. For example, the Royal Navy in the United Kingdom raises its Union Jack as soon as the ship is tied to the shore. The Royal Canadian Navy follows similar rules.

In the United States, the jack is even used as a design on sleeve patches for US Navy uniforms!

Different Shapes and Designs of Jacks

Naval jacks come in many shapes and designs, but they are usually rectangular or square. They are also typically smaller than the main national flag or war flag.

• Smaller Version of National Flag: Some countries use a smaller version of their national flag or just a part of it (called a canton) as their jack.
• Same Flag for Everything: Countries like France use the same flag for all purposes – civil, military, and as their naval jack.
• Civil Ensign as Jack: Other countries, like Japan, have different flags for civil ships and war ships. They might use the civil flag as their jack and the war flag at the back of the ship.
• National Symbols: Many countries design their jacks with their national coat of arms or other important national or sea-related symbols. They often use the same colors found in their main flags.

War Ensign as Jack

Some countries use their war ensign (the flag flown by military ships) as their jack. They usually fly a smaller version of it at the front of the ship.

War Flag as Jack

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  Naval jack of China

Square National Flag as Jack

Some countries use a square version of their national flag as their jack.

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  Naval jack of Belgium

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  Naval jack of Norway

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  Naval jack of Romania (former)

Canton of National Ensign as Jack

The "canton" is the top-left corner of a flag. Some countries use this part of their national ensign as their jack.

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  Naval jack of Chile

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  Naval jack of Greece

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  Naval jack of Liberia

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  Naval jack of the Republic of China

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  Naval jack of Tonga

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  Naval jack of the United States, also flown by other federal government and civilian ships

National Coat of Arms as Jack

Many countries feature their national coat of arms on their naval jack.

National Flag as Jack

Some nations simply use their national flag as their naval jack.

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  Naval jack of Antigua and Barbuda

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  Naval jack of Australia

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  Naval jack of the Bahamas

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  Naval jack of Brunei

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  Naval jack of Canada

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  Naval jack of France

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  Naval jack of India

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  Naval jack of Japan

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  Naval jack of Malaysia

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  Naval jack of Myanmar

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  Naval jack of New Zealand

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  Naval jack of South Africa

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  Naval jack of Singapore

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  Naval jack of Sri Lanka

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  Naval jack of Turkey

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  Naval jack of Ukraine

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  Naval jack of the United Kingdom (i.e. the Union Jack)

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  Naval jack of Vietnam

National Flag in Canton as Jack

Here, the national flag is placed in the canton (top-left corner) of a larger jack design.

Jacks with Special Designs

Many countries have unique and special designs for their naval jacks.

Cross and Saltire Jacks

These jacks feature designs with crosses or diagonal crosses (saltires).

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  Naval jack of Bulgaria

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  Naval jack of Estonia

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  Naval jack of Georgia from 2004 to 2009

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  Naval jack of Latvia

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  Naval jack of Russia

Union Jacks: Flags of United Nations

Union Jack of Sweden and Norway flown by Swedish armored cruiser Wasa in 1903

Norwegian gunboat Sleipner at Kiel, June 1895, flying the Union Jack of Norway and Sweden

Submarine Kalev of the Estonian Navy flying the cross and saltire jack at the bow (Tallinn, 1939)

Sometimes, when different states or regions join together, they create a special "union jack" flag to represent their unity.

The most famous example is the Union Jack of the Royal Navy in the United Kingdom. It was first created in 1606 by combining the flags of England and Scotland. Later, in 1801, when Ireland joined Great Britain, a red diagonal cross (called a saltire, also known as Saint Patrick's Cross) was added to create the Union Flag we see today. This design inspired many other countries to create their own union jacks, including Russia, Sweden-Norway, Estonia, and Latvia.

The United States Navy has also flown a "union jack" for much of its history. From 1777 to 1975, from 1977 to September 2002, and again from June 2019 to the present day, this jack has been the blue corner (canton) of the US national flag with its white stars. For a period between September 11, 2002, and June 4, 2019, the US Navy flew the First Navy Jack. This flag, believed to have been used in 1775 and 1776, featured a rattlesnake and the motto "DONT TREAD ON ME" on thirteen red and white stripes.

The Confederate States of America also had union jacks during the American Civil War (1861-1865). Their first naval jack (1861–1863) used the blue canton from their main naval flag, with stars forming a circle. Later, they used a different design that looked like their army's battle flag.

The Union Jack of Sweden and Norway (used from 1844 to 1905) was a rectangular flag that combined the national colors of Sweden and Norway. This jack was also used when these countries had shared diplomatic offices abroad.

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  The Union Jack of the United Kingdom

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  Naval jack of the United States from 1960 to 1975, 1977 to 2002, and 2019 to the present (identical to the canton in the national flag or ensign of that period)

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  Naval jack of the Confederate States from 1861 to 1863

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  Naval jack of Sweden and Norway from 1844 to 1905

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  Naval jack of the Confederate States from 1863 to 1865

See Also

• British ensign
• Flag terminology
• Naval ensign
• Vexillology – the study of flags