Louisiana State Symbols

Louisiana state symbols: official state symbols include the brown pelican, magnolia, bald cypress, pelican flag, and Union, Justice and Confidence motto.

Abbreviation

Baton Rouge

Capital

1812

Statehood

Symbols

Overview

The brown pelican is Louisiana's most recognizable official state symbol and appears on both the state flag and seal. The magnolia, bald cypress, Catahoula dog, and Union, Justice and Confidence motto complete a list shaped by Gulf Coast wetlands, French and Spanish colonial history, and pelican conservation.

Best-known symbol Brown Pelican

Oldest in this guide Union, Justice and Confidence, 1812

Wetland tree Bald Cypress

Louisiana State Symbols — Complete List

Category	Official Symbol	Adopted
State Flag	Louisiana State Flag	1912
State Bird	Brown Pelican Pelecanus occidentalis	1966
State Flower	Magnolia Magnolia grandiflora	1900
State Tree	Bald Cypress Taxodium distichum	1963
State Motto	Union, Justice and Confidence English	1902
State Nickname	The Pelican State	—
State Dog	Catahoula leopard dog Canis lupus familiaris	1979
State Mammal	Black bear Ursus americanus	1992
State Drink	Milk	1983
State Colors	Blue, White, and Gold	1972
License Plate Slogan	Sportsman's Paradise	1958
State Seal	Great Seal of Louisiana	1812

What Does Louisiana Mean?

Louisiana is the 18th U.S. state, admitted to the Union on April 30, 1812. The name comes from La Louisiane, the French colonial name honoring King Louis XIV of France.

The Pelican State nickname is older in public identity than the 1966 state-bird law. The pelican appeared on the seal from statehood and later became the official bird after already carrying the flag and seal.

Louisiana's postal abbreviation is LA, and residents are Louisianans. Its state motto, Union, Justice and Confidence, began with the first state seal and later settled into its modern word order after the Civil War period.

Key Meaning and Background

Origin: From French La Louisiane, named for King Louis XIV.
Statehood: Louisiana became the 18th state on April 30, 1812.
Nickname: The Pelican State comes from the pelican emblem on the state seal and flag.

Usage Examples and Context

State: Refers to Louisiana, a Gulf Coast state shaped by wetlands, the Mississippi River, New Orleans, and French, Spanish, Creole, and American layers.
People: People from Louisiana are commonly called Louisianans.
Colonial name: La Louisiane named a much larger French colonial territory before it named the modern state.

Nicknames and Short Forms

Pelican State: Official nickname tied to the brown pelican and the state seal.
Bayou State: Informal nickname from Louisiana's bayous and wetlands.
Creole State: Cultural nickname connected with Louisiana's colonial and Creole heritage.
Abbreviation: LA; older short form La.

Newest and Oldest Symbols

Oldest listed Great Seal of Louisiana, 1812

Older symbols tend to anchor the state's public identity: flag, bird, flower, motto, or nickname.

Newest listed Black bear (1992), Milk (1983)

Recent designations often show how states keep adding wildlife, foods, breeds, and cultural traditions.

What Louisiana's Symbols Say About the State

Louisiana's brown pelican is not just another bird symbol. The state made it official after the pelican had already lived for generations on the seal and flag, even as the real bird had nearly disappeared from the coast.

The bald cypress, magnolia, and Louisiana black bear keep the symbol set rooted in wetlands, bottomland forests, and Gulf Coast conservation rather than generic Southern scenery.

The Catahoula Leopard Dog gives Louisiana a working-breed symbol with a specific homegrown identity, while milk is the deliberately plain official drink in a state better known for cocktails and cafe culture.

Quick Answers

What is Louisiana's most famous state symbol?

The brown pelican is Louisiana's most famous symbol because it appears in the state nickname, seal, flag, and bird law.

What is Louisiana's state bird?

Louisiana's state bird is the brown pelican, made official in 1966.

What is Louisiana's state flower?

Louisiana's state flower is the magnolia, adopted in 1900.

Why is Louisiana called the Pelican State?

Louisiana is called the Pelican State because the pelican has appeared on the state seal since statehood and remains central to the flag and official bird symbolism. The Louisiana nickname page explains the history.

How many official state symbols does Louisiana have?

Louisiana's state symbols list here includes the flag, brown pelican, magnolia, bald cypress, motto, colors, Catahoula dog, milk, and mammal symbols.