Editing Ensign (flag)

{{About|the flag|other uses|Ensign (disambiguation){{!}}Ensign}}
{{short description|Maritime flag used for national identification of ships}}
[[File:Hikitia_2_August_2014.JPG|thumb|right|National civil ensign of New Zealand flown from the stern of ''[[Hikitia]]'']]

An '''ensign''' is a [[maritime flag]] that is used for the national identification of a [[ship]].<ref>{{cite web|website=Oxford Dictionaries|url=http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/ensign|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120727200807/http://oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/ensign|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 27, 2012|title=Ensign}}</ref> It is the largest flag and is generally flown at the [[stern]] (rear) of the ship while in port. Depending on the ship's origin, it may sometimes be identical with a [[Jack (flag)|jack]] on the [[Bow (watercraft)|bow]] of the ship when in a port. Jacks are more common on [[Warship|warships]] than on [[Merchant ship|merchant ships]].

==Etymology==
The [[Middle English]] {{lang|enm|ensign}} is derived from the Latin word {{lang|la|insignia}}.

==Vexillology==
Vexillologists distinguish between three varieties of ensigns:{{anchor|State ensign}}
*A state ensign or government ensign ([[Vexillological symbol|usage symbol]] [[File:FIAV 000010.svg|23px]]) is worn by government vessels of official government agencies or civilian equipped [[auxiliary ship]]s.

*A [[naval ensign]] (usage symbol [[File:FIAV 000001.svg|23px]]) is worn by a country's [[navy]] as a [[war flag]] for military ships.<ref>{{cite book |last= Znamierowski |title= The World Encyclopedia of Flags |page= 88 |chapter=Naval ensigns and flags}}</ref> The term "war flag" is used irrespective of if a given country is at war. Large versions of naval ensigns called [[battle ensign]]s are used when a warship goes into battle. The ensign differs from the [[jack (flag)|jack]], which is additionally flown from a [[jackstaff]] at the bow of a vessel if they are at the port.

*A [[civil ensign]] (usage symbol [[File:FIAV 000100.svg|23px]]) is worn by merchant and pleasure vessels. The merchant maritime flag or civil ensign is, therefore, the specific flag for the [[Merchant navy]] of a country, unless the (private) owners are authorized to use another. The commercial flag was created to allow these private individuals to declare their nationality. Some countries have a specific [[yacht ensign]] for recreational boats without declared cargo, which differs from the regular ensign. Merchant flags can only be flown by ships that are not ships of war, ships of state, auxiliary ships or yachts. These ships do not represent an extraterritorial area, but rather belong to a private person or similar and thus do not represent the state itself. This means that the use of the national or even state flag is normally forbidden.

Some countries like the [[United States]] and [[France]] use just one flag as an ensign and also as a [[Jack (flag)|jack]], while lacking special [[Canton (flag)|cantons]] and transparent identification. All ships of the seagoing services of the [[United States Government]] except for the [[United States Coast Guard]] fly the national flag as their ensign, although the ships of some agencies also fly an agency flag as a [[distinctive mark]].

Countries like [[Ukraine]], [[Italy]], [[Russia]], [[South Africa]], [[Australia]], [[New Zealand]] and [[Japan]] use different ensigns. These are strictly regulated and indicate if the vessel is a [[warship]], a [[merchant ship]], a [[Royal Mail Ship|ship under contract to carry mail]], or a [[yacht]], for example.

The national flags of several [[Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth]] countries originated in the ensigns of the United Kingdom. Some of these national flags include those of Australia, New Zealand and several island nations. It is also very likely{{Citation needed|date=September 2024}} that the [[Continental Union Flag]], from which the [[flag of the United States]] developed, was strongly influenced by either the British [[Red Ensign]] or the flag of the British [[East India Company]].

==Usage==
In nautical use, every boat uses a flag belonging to a specific Nation to indicate its organizational membership.<ref name="types">{{cite book |last=[[Alfred Znamierowski]] |title=The World Encyclopedia of Flags |page=31 |chapter=Types of flags}}</ref> This flag signifies the home port of the ship owner and that [[tax|taxes]] for ship-related income are paid there. Flagging out always means that the relevant laws of the country apply on the ship. This includes employment contracts, safety regulations, stamp duty or [[value-added tax]]es.{{Citation needed|date=August 2023}}

In most countries, especially in Europe and the countries of the [[Commonwealth of Nations]], it is common for the ensign to display additional information, like whether it is a civil, state or military flag.{{Citation needed|date=August 2023}}

Ensigns are usually at the [[stern]] [[flag#Flagpoles|flagstaff]] when in port, and may be shifted to a [[gaff rig|gaff]] (if available) or mast amidships when the ship is under way, becoming known as a ''steaming ensign''.{{Citation needed|date=August 2023}}

A boat flag is also often used as guest country flag and is flown on the boat when navigating in foreign waters or entering another country's port.{{Citation needed|date=August 2023}}

==Air ensigns==
With the creation of independent [[air force]]s and the growth in [[civil aviation]] in the first half of the 20th century, a range of distinguishing flags and ensigns were adopted. These may be divided into [[air force ensign]]s (often light blue in color,<ref>{{cite book |last= Znamierowski |title= The World Encyclopedia of Flags |page= 85 |chapter=Air force flags}}</ref> such as the [[Royal Air Force Ensign]]) and [[civil air ensign]]s.

==Heraldic ensigns==
In [[heraldry]], an ensign is an ornament or sign, such as the crown, coronet, or mitre, borne above the [[Charge (heraldry)|charge]] or [[Coat of arms|arms]].<ref>{{cite web |title= Pimbley's Dictionary of Heraldry: E, Page Two |work=Medieval History |publisher=About.com |first= Melissa |last= Snell |url= http://historymedren.about.com/od/pimbley/a/pim_e_2.htm |access-date= 2014-06-15 |archive-date= 2014-07-11 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140711150812/http://historymedren.about.com/od/pimbley/a/pim_e_2.htm |url-status= dead }}</ref>

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg|The [[White Ensign]] as currently used by [[Royal Navy]] vessels
File:Government Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg|The [[Blue Ensign]] as currently used for British government vessels
File:Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg|The [[Red Ensign]] as currently used for British civilian vessels
File:Government Ensign of Gibraltar.svg|[[Flag of Gibraltar|Government Ensign]] of [[Gibraltar]]
File:Civil Ensign of Gibraltar.svg|[[Flag of Gibraltar|Civil Ensign]] of [[Gibraltar]]
File:Air Force Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg|[[Royal Air Force Ensign]] used by the [[Royal Air Force]]
File:Air Force Ensign of Australia.svg|[[Royal Australian Air Force Ensign]]
File:Air Force Ensign of New Zealand.svg|[[Royal New Zealand Air Force Ensign]]
File:Air Force Ensign of Canada.svg|[[Royal Canadian Air Force Ensign]]
File:Naval Ensign of Australia.svg|[[Royal Australian Navy]] [[Australian White Ensign|Ensign]]
File:Naval Ensign of New Zealand.svg|[[Royal New Zealand Navy Ensign]]
File:Naval ensign of Canada.svg|[[Canadian Naval Ensign]]
File:Civil Air Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg|The [[British Civil Air Ensign|Civil Air Ensign]] as currently used by UK civil aviation establishments
File:Civil Air Ensign of Australia.svg|[[Australian Civil Aviation Ensign]]
File:Civil Air Ensign of New Zealand.svg|[[New Zealand Civil Air Ensign]]
File:Flag of Australia (converted).svg|[[Flag of Australia|Australian national Flag]] and State Ensign
File:Civil Ensign of Australia.svg|[[Australian Red Ensign]]
File:Flag of New Zealand.svg|[[Flag of New Zealand|New Zealand national flag]] ([[Māori language|Māori]]: ''Te haki o Aotearoa'') and State Ensign
File:Civil Ensign of New Zealand.svg|New Zealand [[Flag of New Zealand#New Zealand Red Ensign|Red Ensign]]
File:Naval Ensign of India.svg|[[Indian Navy]] Ensign
File:Civil Ensign of India.svg|[[Flag of India|Indian Civil Ensign]]
File:Civil Ensign of Albania.svg|Civil and Naval ensign of [[Flag of Albania| Albania]]
File:Naval Ensign of Belgium.svg|[[Belgian Navy]] Ensign
File:Naval Ensign of Denmark.svg|Ensign of the [[Royal Danish Navy]]
File:Naval Ensign of Egypt.svg|[[Egyptian Navy]] Ensign
File:Flag of Finnish yacht clubs.svg|[[List of flags of Finland#Yachting|Finnish yacht club ensign]]. The circled X represents the club [[emblem]]
File:Ensign of France.svg|Civil and [[French Navy|Naval]] Ensign of France
File:Naval Ensign of Germany.svg|[[German Navy|Bundesmarine]] Ensign
File:Naval Ensign of Italy.svg|[[Italian Navy|Naval]] Ensign of Italy
File:Naval Ensign of Japan.svg|Naval ensign of the [[Imperial Japanese Navy]] and the [[Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force]]
File:Civil Ensign of Luxembourg.svg|[[Roude Léiw|Luxembourg Civil Ensign]]
File:Naval Ensign of Myanmar.svg|[[Myanmar Navy]] Ensign
File:Reserve marine vlag.svg|[[Royal Netherlands Navy]] Reserve ensign
File:Naval Ensign of Nigeria.svg|[[Nigerian Navy]] ensign
File:Naval Ensign of North Korea.svg|[[Korean People's Navy|North Korean Navy]] Ensign
File:Flag of Norway, state.svg|Ensign of the [[Royal Norwegian Navy]]
File:Naval Ensign of Poland.svg|[[Polish Navy]] Ensign
File:Naval Ensign of Russia.svg|[[Russian Navy Ensign]]
File:Naval Ensign of Saudi Arabia.svg|Naval Ensign of the [[Royal Saudi Navy]] {{FIAV|sinister}}
File:Yachts Ensign of Spain.svg|Spanish [[yacht ensign]]
File:Naval Ensign of Sri Lanka.svg|Naval ensign of [[Sri Lanka Navy|Sri Lanka]]
File:Naval Ensign of Thailand.svg|Naval ensign of [[Royal Thai Navy]]
File:Naval Ensign of Ukraine.svg|[[Ukrainian Navy]] Ensign
File:Ensign of the United States Coast Guard.svg|[[United States Coast Guard]] ensign
File:Ensign of Vietnam People's Navy.svg|Naval ensign of [[Vietnam People's Navy|Vietnam]]
</gallery>

== See also ==
* [[Distinctive mark]]
* [[Maritime flag]]
* [[Jack (flag)|Jack]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

=== Sources ===
{{refbegin}}
* {{cite book |title = The world encyclopedia of flags : The definitive guide to international flags, banners, standards and ensigns |last = Znamierowski |first = Alfred |year = 2002 |publisher = Hermes House |location = London, England |ISBN = 1-84309-042-2 |url-access = registration |url = https://archive.org/details/worldencyclopedi0000znam }}
* {{Cite book |last=Kavussanos |first=Manolis G. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1fYWzwEACAAJ |title=The Option to Change the Flag of a Vessel |date=2014 |publisher=SSRN}}

{{refend}}

==External links==
{{Portal|Heraldry}}
{{Commons category|position=left|Ensigns}}

[[Category:Ensigns| ]]
[[Category:Types of flags]]
[[Category:Maritime culture]]