What is the difference between the Union Flag and the Union Jack?

Answer 1

The flag is only properly the Union 'Jack' when flown on naval vessels. The reason why the two names have become interchangeable is because the UK, unlike most other countries, uses the same flag on its ships as it does on land.

Answer 2

Use and status of the flag
Whilst the Union Flag has never been officially adopted by law as the national flag of the UK, it has become so by usage (which can count for a lot in the British constitutional/legal system) and the government has stated it is the correct flag for use by British citizens.

Afloat though, the Union Flag has been reserved by the government for specific, military purposes. It is the jack of the Royal Navy and the flag of rank for an admiral of the fleet. These are the reasons why it is illegal for a civilian ship to fly it.
Roy Stilling, 8 February 1996

The "Union Jack" is actually a Royal Flag, used as a national flag by permission of HM the Queen and on the advice of HM's Ministers (i.e., the government told us to use it in a parliamentary answer). It is perfectly acceptable to call it the "Union Jack" - in fact that is the term used by the Government Minister who stated that it should be used as the national flag. Of course a parliamentary answer isn't the same as a law or statutory instrument, so legally the UK does not have a singular national flag, but practically it does. Of course to make up for this we have more official national flags (of a non singular nature) than the rest of the world put together. At the last count we had exceeded 500!
Graham Bartram, 7 February 2001

The United Kingdom has two official royal flags; the Royal Standard and the Union Jack. Since the United Kingdom is a monarchy I reckon they are official national flags. What was, at one time, not clear was whether private individuals were entitled to use the official flags. The flags were ratified and confirmed by the First Article of An Act for the Union of Great Britain and Ireland, Proclaimed 1st January 1801.
Departmental Blue Ensigns and, before 1894 Colonial Red Ensigns, were authorised under the Order in Council, July 9th 1864 (Admiralty Orders In Council, Vol.2, p.46).
Colonial Blue Ensigns were authorised under the Colonial Naval Defence Act 1865 (28 vic. cap.14)
Colonial Red Ensigns after 1894 were authorised under the Merchant Shipping Act 1894 (57 & 58 vic. cap.80): 73(1).
David Prothero, 10 June 2005

The Union Jack has never been made an official civil flag by any legal process, but it has been authoritatively stated, on more than one occasion, that on land it may be used as though it were a civil flag. It is also used by the army so I would think that it should be (ooo/xxx)

Some extracts from Public Record Office documents.

Answer 3

The 'Jack' is an abbreviated form of the national flag, usually flown from the bow of a ship during wartime. Unlike European nations, the USA does not have a war flag and a peace flag. The Union Jack for the USA would be the blue field of stars flying on the bowsprit (without the red and white stripes). So America's Union Flag is 'Old Glory" the stars and stripes; and the Union Jack would be just the blue field of fifty stars.

Answer 4

Nothing except that the Union Flag is called the Union Jack when flown on a ship.

Answer 5

The Great Union Flag is the proper name of the flag of the UK. A "jack" is flown at the bow of a ship. The "jack" that flies on US ships, is a blue flag with 50 stars representing the union of the 50 states. Technically it should be called " The Union Jack". Don't get your knickers in a knot, I said "technically". To me, the flag of the UK will always be the Union Jack.

Answer 6

There is no difference in the actually flag, it is just that the Union Flag when flown on a naval vessel is known as the Union Jack, a naval term. Most people call it the Union Jack because it sounds cooler IMO!

Answer 7

As I understand it in the UK the Union Jack and the Union Flag are the same thing. Jack is a sailing term for a flag and the name just stuck.

Answer 8

technically a union flag can only be called a union jack when flown from a ship but either way the flag is the same

Answer 9

the name

Answer 10

Nothing. But then no one calls it the Union Flag.