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Contribution Type: Person Names

Mandatory Repeatable Edit Type Data Type Source Level Available Public Element
No Yes Read Only Variable Character Length (13 characters per element) Catalog Community Member;
NARA Staff;
NARA Partner;
AI/Machine Generated		 File Unit
Item
Item AV
Digital Object		 Yes

 

Definition:

The Person Name Elements are used to identify a person in a record.

 

  • Prefix precedes a person’s name (for example, Ms. or Dr.).
  • First name is a person’s personal name. It can be the name given to a person at birth or a name legally chosen by the person.
  • Middle name is a personal name or names used by a person in addition to their first personal name. It can be the name given to a person at birth or a name legally chosen by the person. It might be a middle initial if a full middle name is not provided.
  • Surname is the name identified on the document as the family name of a person. In English it is also referred to as the last name due to it commonly being used following a person’s first or given name. However in other languages, surnames may commonly be written before a person’s given name. Surnames may consist of one name (for example, Smith) or multiple names which may or may not be hyphenated (for example, Beth Smith Jones or Beth Smith-Jones).
  • Suffix follows a person’s name (for example, Jr. or IV).

 

 

Purpose: To allow contributors to identify people named in records thereby providing additional context to descriptions and make digitized and born digital content more discoverable.

 

Relationship: Each of the Name Elements are independent from each other but are connected as one instance of a name. They can be added in any combination. Name Elements have an attribution type modifier and may have a related contributor name.

 

Guidance:

Name Elements are added to Catalog descriptions and digital objects voluntarily by contributors including Citizen Archivists, staff, and NARA partners following the guidance provided on the Resources page and the Citizen Contributions Policy on Archives.gov. Name elements may be suggested or generated by AI / Machine tools.

 

Examples:

 

Description - Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 12837, Aaron Burr, Continental (N.J.). (https://catalog.archives.gov/id/54118158?objectPage=33)
First Name - Eliza
Middle Name - Brown
Surname - Burr

Prefix - Col.
First Name - Aaron
Surname - Burr
 

 


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