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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 thewrappers{{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.
| Parameter | Description | Status |
|---|---|---|
|1= | The surname or family name of the subject. | Required |
|2= | Triggers different text based on the language (seebelow). | Required for|lang=Manchu; optional for others. |
|3= | For transliterated names or there are multiple name types. | Optional |
|nd= | Use for Dutch names when amarital 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 exampleSpanish notes. | Optional |
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 asJeremy 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 nameFoo Bar is one article andBar 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 givingundue prominence to name explanations. Others argue that they fit name explanations better as they do not muddle the navigational purpose ofhatnotes. They may be particularly well-suited to articles that already have other hatnotes (where another might inducebanner blindness), or where there is a preexisting footnote system (and thus no need to introduce one).
All languages are supported. The|lang= parameter will trigger the text output "<lang> name", wikilinked if the page exists; for example,|lang=Arabic will result in "Arabic name". Exceptions are listed below:
| Language | Article |
|---|---|
| East Slavic | East 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 |
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, thesurname is Simpson. |
| Burmese | {{Family name explanation|Htang|lang=Burmese}} | In thisBurmese name, thegiven name is Htang. There is no family name. |
| Dutch | {{Family name explanation|Van der Sar|lang=Dutch}} | In thisDutch name, thesurname is Van der Sar. |
| Ijebu | {{Family name explanation|Àjàyí|lang=Ijebu}} | In thisIjebu name, theYoruba surname is Àjàyí. |
| Mongolian | {{Family name explanation|Tsedenbal|lang=Mongolian}} | In thisMongolian name, thegiven name is Tsedenbal. There is neither apatronymic nor afamily name. |
| Ottoman Turkish | {{Family name explanation|Namık Kemal|lang=Ottoman Turkish}} | In thisOttoman Turkish style name, thegiven name is Namık Kemal. There is no family name. |
The second parameter triggers different wording depending on the language.
| Language | Code | Example Output |
|---|---|---|
| Argentine | {{Family name explanation|Acosta|Benitez|lang=Argentine}} | In thisArgentine name, thesurname is Acosta and themarital name is Benitez. |
| Basque | {{Family name explanation|Arana|Goiri|lang=Basque}} | In thisBasque name, the first surname is Arana and the second is Goiri. |
| Bulgarian | {{Family name explanation|Ivanova|Georgieva-Kinova|lang=Bulgarian}} | In thisBulgarian name, thepatronymic is Ivanova and thefamily name is Georgieva-Kinova. |
| Cambodian[c] | {{Family name explanation|Sok|Narvaratt|lang=Cambodian}} | In thisCambodian name, thesurname is Sok. In accordance with Cambodian custom, this person should be referred to by thegiven name,Narvaratt. |
| Catalan | {{Family name explanation|Miró|Ferrà|lang=Catalan}} | In thisCatalan 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 thisChilean 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 thisChinese name, thefamily name is Wang and De is ageneration name. |
| Chinese Indonesian | {{Family name explanation|Han|Su|lang=Chinese Indonesian}} | In thisChinese Indonesian name, thefamily name isHan and Su is ageneration name. |
| Congolese | {{Family name explanation|Tshisekedi|Tshilombo|lang=Congolese}} | In thisCongolese name, thesurname is Tshisekedi and the post-surname is Tshilombo. |
| Dutch | {{Family name explanation|Van der Sar|Sar|lang=Dutch}} | In thisDutch name, thesurname is Van der Sar, not Sar. |
Dutch (if|nd=y) | {{Family name explanation|Noordewier|Reddingius|nd=yes|lang=Dutch}} | In thisDutch name, the birth surname is Noordewier and themarital name is Reddingius. |
| East Slavic | {{Family name explanation|Aleksandrovitch|Imyarek|lang=East Slavic}} | In this name that followsEast Slavic naming customs, thepatronymic is Aleksandrovitch and thefamily name is Imyarek. |
| Galician | {{Family name explanation|Núñez|Castillo|lang=Galician}} | In thisGalician name, the first surname is Núñez and the second is Castillo. |
| German | {{Family name explanation|Von Allmen|Allmen|lang=German}} | In thisGerman name, thesurname is Von Allmen, not Allmen. |
| Hmong[c] | {{Family name explanation|Kaying|Pha|lang=Hmong}} | In thisHmong name, thesurname is Kaying. In accordance with Hmong custom, this person should be referred to by thegiven name,Pha. |
| Korean | {{Family name explanation|Lee|Han|lang=Korean}} | In thisKorean name, the family name isLee. In the stage name or pen-name, thesurname isHan. |
| Lebanese Arabic | {{Family name explanation|Ali|Maatouk|lang=Lebanese}} | In thisLebanese name, thefather's name is Ali and thefamily name isMaatouk. |
| Manchu[d] | {{Family name explanation|Oboi|Gūwalgiya|lang=Manchu}} | In thisManchu name, thegiven name is Oboi. In accordance with Manchu custom, it should be used alone or with titles but not with theclan name Gūwalgiya. |
| Medieval | {{Family name explanation|Wolfram|von Eschenbach|lang=Medieval}} | In this medieval name, the personal name is Wolfram andvon Eschenbach is an appellation or descriptor. There is no family name. |
| Mongolian | {{Family name explanation|Tsedenbal|Yumjaagiin|lang=Mongolian}} | In thisMongolian name, thegiven name is Tsedenbal.Yumjaagiin is apatronymic, not afamily name. |
| ni-Vanuatu | {{Family name explanation|Natapei|Rapi|lang=Ni-Vanuatu}} | In thisNi-Vanuatu name, thesurname is Natapei, and the traditional name is Rapi. |
| Ottoman Turkish[e] | {{Family name explanation|Osman Hamdi|Bey|lang=Ottoman Turkish}} | In thisOttoman Turkish style name, thegiven name is Osman Hamdi, thetitle isBey, and there is no family name. |
| Romance | {{Family name explanation|de Perier|Perier|lang=Romance}} | In thisRomance language name, thesurname is de Perier, not Perier. |
| Slavic | {{Family name explanation|Wołkowski|Wolkowski|lang=Slavic}} | In thisSlavic name, thesurname is Wołkowski, sometimes transliterated as Wolkowski. |
| Spanish | {{Family name explanation|Gómez|Cruz|lang=Spanish}} | In thisSpanish 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 thisTurkic name, thesurname is Bölükbaşı, sometimes transliterated as Bolukbasi. |
| Vietnamese[c][f] | {{Family name explanation|Phan|Khải|lang=Vietnamese}} | In thisVietnamese name, thesurname is Phan. In accordance with Vietnamese custom, this person should be referred to by thegiven name,Khải. |
| All others (A, not B) | {{Family name explanation|Wilson|Clark}} | In this article, thesurname is Wilson, not Clark. |
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 thisHong Kong name, thesurname 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, thesurname 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 thisManchu name, thegiven name is Hūlušun, but is often simplified toHulusun in English-language text. In accordance with Manchu custom, it should be used alone or with titles but not with theclan name Nara. |
| Ottoman Turkish | {{Family name explanation|Ali|Pasha|Çandarlı|lang=Ottoman Turkish}} | In thisOttoman Turkish style name, thegiven name is Ali, thetitle isPasha, and the family name isÇandarlı. |
| Ottoman Turkish (if no title)[i] | {{Family name explanation|Ali||Çandarlı|lang=Ottoman Turkish}} | In thisOttoman Turkish style name, thegiven name is Ali, and the family name isÇandarlı. |
| Toponymic | {{Family name explanation|London|Edward|English name|lang=Toponymic}} | In thisEnglish name, thetoponymic surname is London. It is not afamily name, and the person should be referred to by thegiven name, Edward. |
| Vietnamese | {{Family name explanation|Ngô|Diệm|Ngo|lang=Vietnamese}} | In thisVietnamese name, thesurname is Ngô, but is often simplified toNgo in English-language text. In accordance with Vietnamese custom, this person should be referred to by thegiven name,Diệm. |
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.
| 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
| 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).
| String | optional |
| Reference group type | reftype | Name of footnote template to use, such as efn, efn-lr, or NoteTag.
| Line | optional |
|2= is not required, and will still add the explanatory note.|3= is given, the family name will be listed as well.|3=.Chan|Jackie Chan|Chan Kong-sang.|2= is left empty (note the double pipe,||), "the title is..." section is not included.