Maryland State Flag

U.S. state

Maryland State Flag uses quartered banner of the Calvert and Crossland arms. Ratio 2:3 and current adoption March 9, 1904.

Hoist Ratio 2:3 Fly

Flag Reference

Flag	Maryland State Flag
Entity Type	U.S. state
Official Name	State of Maryland
Identifier	US-MD
Region	United States

Flag Specifications

Current Adoption	March 9, 1904
Proportion	2:3
Shape	Rectangle
Colours	Gold, Black, Red, White
Construction	Quartered banner of the Calvert and Crossland arms

Documented Colour Values

Colour	HEX	RGB	CMYK
Gold	#FFD200	255, 210, 0	0, 18, 100, 0
Black	#000000	0, 0, 0	0, 0, 0, 100
Red	#CE1126	206, 17, 38	0, 92, 82, 19
White	#FFFFFF	255, 255, 255	0, 0, 0, 0

Design and Symbolism

Gold	the Calvert arms.
Black	the Calvert arms.
Red	the Crossland arms.
White	the Crossland arms.
Calvert and Crossland arms	The paternal and maternal heraldry of George Calvert, first Lord Baltimore.
Heraldic banner	The only US state flag based directly on English heraldry.

Proportions

Ratio	2:3
Hoist	2 units
Fly	3 units

About the Maryland State Flag

Quartered banner of the Calvert and Crossland arms The recorded proportion is 2:3. Within this library it is grouped with quartered field designs.

Colours and construction

The reference palette stored for Maryland is Gold (#FFD200), Black (#000000), Red (#CE1126) and White (#FFFFFF). The colour table above is intended for digital reference; where an issuing authority publishes a different colour standard, that specification takes precedence.

Symbols and recorded meaning

Calvert and Crossland arms: The paternal and maternal heraldry of George Calvert, first Lord Baltimore; Heraldic banner: The only US state flag based directly on English heraldry.

History and adoption record

The adoption field for the present record is March 9, 1904.

Entity status

Maryland is classified here as u.s. state. That label describes the entity represented by the flag and prevents a territory, state or constituent area from being presented as a sovereign country.

Additional flag context

Maryland's is the only US state flag taken directly from an English coat of arms: the black and gold of the Calvert family quartered with the red and white of the Crossland family.

The two halves carried opposite meanings during the Civil War, with Calvert colours associated with the Union and Crossland colours with Confederate sympathisers; combining them afterwards was an act of reconciliation.

It is the only US state flag with genuine heraldic banner design, and is widely regarded as one of the most distinctive.

How to identify this flag

For quick identification, look for Quartered banner of the Calvert and Crossland arms, a 2:3 proportion and the visible calvert and Crossland arms. Use the comparison and design-family links on this page when another flag has a similar palette or layout.

Verification sources

Flags of the World — U.S. state flag reference — Specialist vexillological reference
USA.gov — state government directory — Government directory

Other quartered field flags

See all

Panama

Facts about the Flag of Maryland

Maryland is recorded as quartered banner of the Calvert and Crossland arms.
The reference proportion for the flag of Maryland is 2:3.
The stored palette for Maryland contains Gold, Black, Red and White.
The adoption field for this u.s. state flag record is March 9, 1904.
Its construction is grouped with the quartered field design family in this library.
Calvert and Crossland arms: The paternal and maternal heraldry of George Calvert, first Lord Baltimore.
Heraldic banner: The only US state flag based directly on English heraldry.
Maryland's is the only US state flag taken directly from an English coat of arms: the black and gold of the Calvert family quartered with the red and white of the Crossland family.
The two halves carried opposite meanings during the Civil War, with Calvert colours associated with the Union and Crossland colours with Confederate sympathisers; combining them afterwards was an act of reconciliation.

Frequently Asked Questions about the Flag of Maryland

What does the flag of Maryland look like?

Quartered banner of the Calvert and Crossland arms, with a recorded proportion of 2:3.

What proportion is recorded for the flag of Maryland?

The reference proportion stored for this flag is 2:3.

Which colours are recorded for the flag of Maryland?

The reference palette lists Gold #FFD200, Black #000000, Red #CE1126 and White #FFFFFF.

What do the symbols on the flag of Maryland represent?

Calvert and Crossland arms — The paternal and maternal heraldry of George Calvert, first Lord Baltimore. Heraldic banner — The only US state flag based directly on English heraldry.

When was the present flag record for Maryland adopted?

The adoption field in this record is March 9, 1904.

Which design family does the flag of Maryland belong to?

WorldFlags.online groups it with quartered field designs for visual browsing; that classification describes construction, not necessarily historical ancestry.

Where can I verify information about the flag of Maryland?

The verification-source section on this page links to an official, governmental or specialist reference used to check the underlying record. Source wording is not copied into the article.