Template:Family name explanation

In this article, the surname is {{{1}}}.

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This template is used on approximately 83,000 pages and changes may be widely noticed. Test changes in the template's /sandbox or /testcases subpages, or in your own user subpage. Consider discussing changes on the talk page before implementing them.

Template:Family name explanation is placed at the top of a biographical article to explain to readers which part of a name is the family name. It is used by the wrappers {{Family name footnote}} and {{Family name hatnote}}. More rarely, it may be invoked directly, e.g. for use within a larger footnote about a person's name.

Usage


Parameter	Description	Status
`\|1=`	The surname or family name of the subject.	Required
`\|2=`	Triggers different text based on the language (see below).	Required for `\|lang=Manchu`; optional for others.
`\|3=`	For transliterated names or there are multiple name types.	Optional
`\|nd=`	Use for Dutch names when a marital name is involved	Conditional
`\|lang=`	The country or origin of the name; links to related articles if they exist. Note: language names must be spelled out, not ISO codes, for example Spanish not es.	Optional

Footnotes vs. hatnotes

There is no universal consensus on whether to use footnotes or hatnotes for family name explanations.^[a] However, never use both.^[b] For names that are clear to the average reader, such as Jeremy Lin, use no explanation.

Hatnotes are a high-emphasis method of name explanation, and have been used widely on Wikipedia for many years. Some editors argue that they are well-suited to articles where the name is particularly in need of clarification (such as when the name Foo Bar is one article and Bar Foo is another), or where a footnotes system would have to be introduced for the explanation.

Footnotes are a newer, lower-emphasis method of name explanation introduced in 2020. Some editors argue that they better avoid giving undue prominence to name explanations. Others argue that they fit name explanations better as they do not muddle the navigational purpose of hatnotes. They may be particularly well-suited to articles that already have other hatnotes (where another might induce banner blindness), or where there is a preexisting footnote system (and thus no need to introduce one).

Supported languages

The |lang= parameter will trigger a link to <lang> name (for example, Arabic name) if the page exists. Exceptions are listed below:


Language	Article
Eastern Slavic	Eastern Slavic naming customs
Hmong	Hmong people
Ijebu	Ijebu Kingdom
Lebanese	Lebanese Arabic
Ottoman Turkish	Ottoman Turkish
Romance	Romance language
Toponymic	third parameter is linked
Turkic	Turkic languages

Examples

First parameter only

Regardless of language, this template requires a first parameter for the given surname. For instances where the language may not commonly use a family name, the text reflects this.


Language	Code	Example Output
No `\|lang=` set	`{{Family name explanation\|Simpson}}`	In this article, the surname is Simpson.
Burmese	`{{Family name explanation\|Htang\|lang=Burmese}}`	In this Burmese name, the given name is Htang. There is no family name.
Dutch	`{{Family name explanation\|Van der Sar\|lang=Dutch}}`	In this Dutch name, the surname is Van der Sar.
Ijebu	`{{Family name explanation\|Àjàyí\|lang=Ijebu}}`	In this Ijebu name, the Yoruba surname is Àjàyí.
Mongolian	`{{Family name explanation\|Tsedenbal\|lang=Mongolian}}`	In this Mongolian name, the given name is Tsedenbal. There is neither a patronymic nor a family name.
Ottoman Turkish	`{{Family name explanation\|Namık Kemal\|lang=Ottoman Turkish}}`	In this Ottoman Turkish style name, the given name is Namık Kemal. There is no family name.

Second parameter

The second parameter triggers different wording depending on the language.


Language	Code	Example Output
Argentine	`{{Family name explanation\|Acosta\|Benitez\|lang=Argentine}}`	In this Argentine name, the surname is Acosta and the marital name is Benitez.
Basque	`{{Family name explanation\|Arana\|Goiri\|lang=Basque}}`	In this Basque name, the first surname is Arana and the second is Goiri.
Bulgarian	`{{Family name explanation\|Ivanova\|Georgieva-Kinova\|lang=Bulgarian}}`	In this Bulgarian name, the patronymic is Ivanova and the family name is Georgieva-Kinova.
Cambodian^[c]	`{{Family name explanation\|Sok\|Narvaratt\|lang=Cambodian}}`	In this Cambodian name, the surname is Sok. In accordance with Cambodian custom, this person should be referred to by the given name, Narvaratt.
Catalan	`{{Family name explanation\|Miró\|Ferrà\|lang=Catalan}}`	In this Catalan name, the first or paternal surname is Miró and the second or maternal family name is Ferrà; both are generally joined by the conjunction "i".
Chilean	`{{Family name explanation\|Ocampo\|Soto\|lang=Chilean}}`	In this Chilean name, the first or paternal surname is Ocampo and the second or maternal family name is Soto.
Chinese	`{{Family name explanation\|Wang\|De\|lang=Chinese}}`	In this Chinese name, the family name is Wang and De is a generation name.
Chinese Indonesian	`{{Family name explanation\|Han\|Su\|lang=Chinese Indonesian}}`	In this Chinese Indonesian name, the family name is Han and Su is a generation name.
Congolese	`{{Family name explanation\|Tshisekedi\|Tshilombo\|lang=Congolese}}`	In this Congolese name, the surname is Tshisekedi and the post-surname is Tshilombo.
Dutch	`{{Family name explanation\|Van der Sar\|Sar\|lang=Dutch}}`	In this Dutch name, the surname is Van der Sar, not Sar.
Dutch (if `\|nd=y`)	`{{Family name explanation\|Noordewier\|Reddingius\|nd=yes\|lang=Dutch}}`	In this Dutch name, the birth surname is Noordewier and the marital name is Reddingius.
Eastern Slavic	`{{Family name explanation\|Aleksandrovitch\|Imyarek\|lang=Eastern Slavic}}`	In this name that follows Eastern Slavic naming customs, the patronymic is Aleksandrovitch and the family name is Imyarek.
Galician	`{{Family name explanation\|Núñez\|Castillo\|lang=Galician}}`	In this Galician name, the first surname is Núñez and the second is Castillo.
German	`{{Family name explanation\|Von Allmen\|Allmen\|lang=German}}`	In this German name, the surname is Von Allmen, not Allmen.
Hmong^[c]	`{{Family name explanation\|Kaying\|Pha\|lang=Hmong}}`	In this Hmong name, the surname is Kaying. In accordance with Hmong custom, this person should be referred to by the given name, Pha.
Korean	`{{Family name explanation\|Lee\|Han\|lang=Korean}}`	In this Korean name, the family name is Lee. In the stage name or pen-name, the surname is Han.
Lebanese Arabic	`{{Family name explanation\|Ali\|Maatouk\|lang=Lebanese}}`	In this Lebanese name, the father's name is Ali and the family name is Maatouk.
Manchu^[d]	`{{Family name explanation\|Oboi\|Gūwalgiya\|lang=Manchu}}`	In this Manchu name, the given name is Oboi. In accordance with Manchu custom, it should be used alone or with titles but not with the clan name Gūwalgiya.
Medieval	`{{Family name explanation\|Wolfram\|von Eschenbach\|lang=Medieval}}`	In this medieval name, the personal name is Wolfram and von Eschenbach is an appellation or descriptor. There is no family name.
Mongolian	`{{Family name explanation\|Tsedenbal\|Yumjaagiin\|lang=Mongolian}}`	In this Mongolian name, the given name is Tsedenbal. Yumjaagiin is a patronymic, not a family name.
ni-Vanuatu	`{{Family name explanation\|Natapei\|Rapi\|lang=Ni-Vanuatu}}`	In this Ni-Vanuatu name, the surname is Natapei, and the traditional name is Rapi.
Ottoman Turkish^[e]	`{{Family name explanation\|Osman Hamdi\|Bey\|lang=Ottoman Turkish}}`	In this Ottoman Turkish style name, the given name is Osman Hamdi, the title is Bey, and there is no family name.
Romance	`{{Family name explanation\|de Perier\|Perier\|lang=Romance}}`	In this Romance language name, the surname is de Perier, not Perier.
Slavic	`{{Family name explanation\|Wołkowski\|Wolkowski\|lang=Slavic}}`	In this Slavic name, the surname is Wołkowski, sometimes transliterated as Wolkowski.
Spanish	`{{Family name explanation\|Gómez\|Cruz\|lang=Spanish}}`	In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Gómez and the second or maternal family name is Cruz.
Turkic	`{{Family name explanation\|Bölükbaşı\|Bolukbasi\|lang=Turkic}}`	In this Turkic name, the surname is Bölükbaşı, sometimes transliterated as Bolukbasi.
Vietnamese^[c]^[f]	`{{Family name explanation\|Phan\|Khải\|lang=Vietnamese}}`	In this Vietnamese name, the surname is Phan. In accordance with Vietnamese custom, this person should be referred to by the given name, Khải.
All others (A, not B)	`{{Family name explanation\|Wilson\|Clark}}`	In this article, the surname is Wilson, not Clark.

Third parameter

With the exception of |lang=Toponymic, the third parameter is used for transliterated names or a second name type.


Language	Code	Example Output
Hong Kong^[g]	`{{Family name explanation\|Chan\|Jackie\|Kong-sang\|lang=Hong Kong}}`	In this Hong Kong name, the surname is Chan. In accordance with Hong Kong custom, the Western-style name is Jackie and the Chinese-style name is Kong-sang.
Macau^[g]^[h]	`{{Family name explanation\|Ho\|Edmund\|Hau Wah\|lang=Macau}}`	In this article, the surname is Ho. In accordance with Macau custom, the Western-style name is Edmund and the Chinese-style name is Hau Wah.
Manchu	`{{Family name explanation\|Hūlušun\|Nara\|Hulusun\|lang=Manchu}}`	In this Manchu name, the given name is Hūlušun, but is often simplified to Hulusun in English-language text. In accordance with Manchu custom, it should be used alone or with titles but not with the clan name Nara.
Ottoman Turkish	`{{Family name explanation\|Ali\|Pasha\|Çandarlı\|lang=Ottoman Turkish}}`	In this Ottoman Turkish style name, the given name is Ali, the title is Pasha, and the family name is Çandarlı.
Ottoman Turkish (if no title)^[i]	`{{Family name explanation\|Ali\|\|Çandarlı\|lang=Ottoman Turkish}}`	In this Ottoman Turkish style name, the given name is Ali, and the family name is Çandarlı.
Toponymic	`{{Family name explanation\|London\|Edward\|English name\|lang=Toponymic}}`	In this English name, the toponymic surname is London. It is not a family name, and the person should be referred to by the given name, Edward.
Vietnamese	`{{Family name explanation\|Ngô\|Diệm\|Ngo\|lang=Vietnamese}}`	In this Vietnamese name, the surname is Ngô, but is often simplified to Ngo in English-language text. In accordance with Vietnamese custom, this person should be referred to by the given name, Diệm.

TemplateData

This is the TemplateData for this template used by TemplateWizard, VisualEditor and other tools. See a monthly parameter usage report for Template:Family name explanation in articles based on its TemplateData.

TemplateData for Family name explanation

Placed at the top of a biographical article to explain to readers which part of a name is the family name.

Template parameters[Edit template data]
This template prefers inline formatting of parameters.
Parameter		Description	Type	Status
Surname or family name	`1`	The primary element in the person's surname	String	required
Additional name element	`2`	Secondary element in the person's surname (depending upon language)	String	suggested
Additional name element	`3`	Tertiary element in the person's surname or transliteration (depending upon language)	String	suggested
Language	`lang`	Language or naming convention. Note: Spell out the language name; do not use ISO codes Suggested values `Argentine` `Basque` `Bulgarian` `Burmese` `Cambodian` `Catalan` `Chilean` `Chinese` `Chinese Indonesian` `Congolese` `Dutch` `Eastern Slavic` `Galician` `German` `Hmong` `Ijebu` `Korean` `Lebanese` `Manchu` `Medieval` `Mongolian` `Ni-Vanuatu` `Ottoman Turkish` `Romance` `Slavic` `Spanish` `Toponymic` `Turkic` `Vietnamese` `Hong Kong` `Macau` Example lang=Spanish (not lang=es)	String	suggested
Dutch marital name	`nd`	Use only with Dutch surnames where the person's married name is to be specified	String	suggested
Explanation type	`type`	Whether the explanation should be rendered as a footnote, a hatnote, or neither (default). Suggested values `footnote` `hatnote` Default Neither	String	optional
Reference group type	`reftype`	Name of footnote template to use, such as efn, efn-lr, or NoteTag. Suggested values `efn` `efn-lr` `efn-ua` `efn-ur` `efn-lg` `NoteTag` Default efn	Line	optional

Notes

^ See Wikipedia:Village pump (proposals)/Archive 188 § Method of surname clarification.
^ List of articles to fix.
^ a b c For Cambodian, Hmong, or Vietnamese, |2= is not required, and will still add the explanatory note.
^ The second parameter is required for this language
^ For Ottoman Turkish, if |3= is given, the family name will be listed as well.
^ Vietnamese has a "transliterated" message similar to Slavic and Turkic, but is triggered by |3=.
^ a b If the full Western- and Chinese-style name is desired, it must be included in the second and third parameter in the proper order; for example Chan|Jackie Chan|Chan Kong-sang.
^ Also works with the spelling Macao.
^ For Ottoman Turkish, if |2= is left empty (note the double pipe, ||), "the title is..." section is not included.

Tracking categories

Category:Pages using family name hatnote with no first parameter (0)