Vexillology is the scholarly study of flags. The term, coined in 1957, comes from the Latin word vexillum, a kind of flag from Roman cavalry. Before this time period, flag studying was considered a part of heraldry (the study of armorial bearings).

Similar to “vexillology”, the term vexillography refers to the art of designing and creating flags, and a person who creates flags is called a vexillographer. For example, Betsy Ross is sometimes credited with designing one of the first American flags; in this sense, she could be considered a vexillographer.

In this blog, we’ll cover topics from flags of the world to flag design principles and other points relating to history and geography. Come with us as we explore the flags that define our world!