A royal charter was issued by Britain to Sir John Berkley and Sir George Carteret for a colony in the new land and named this colony for the island of Jersey in the English Channel. Carteret was born on Jersey and had spent several years as Lieutenant Governor of the island. New Jersey is among the original thirteen colonies in the "New World".

The New Jersey State Seal is centered on a "buff" colored background. The background color was chosen to match the color of part of the uniform selected by General George Washington in 1779 for his New Jersey Continental Line. The seal has a blue shield with three plows on it and is flanked on opposite sides by the goddess of liberty holding a staff and the cap of freedom, and the goddess of agriculture holding a cornucopia filled with food signifying abundance. Above the shield is the head armor of a knight and a horse's head. Beneath the shield is a blue ribbon are the words "LIBERTY AND PROSPERITY" and the date "1776."