The Substructuring of the Element //persName

The name of a person is captured in a <persName> element. The @ref attribute in <persName> enables the reference (qua URL) to a resource that contains additional information about the person, such as the data record for that person in the Gemeinsame Normdatei (Integrated Authority File, GND). If a name could not be detected in the GND, the @ref attribute of the <persName> element gets the value "nognd".

The following sub-elements of the <persName> element are possible:

Element Function
surname last name
forename first name
nameLink name affix, e. g. title of nobility
genName generation
addName pseudonym or other additional name, if applicable
roleName state supporting function/official title of the person
Attention: The <roleName> element contains only state supporting functions or official titles; job titles and other functions are not specified here.

Friedrich II., König von Preußen 

<persName ref="http://d-nb.info/gnd/118535749">
  <forename>Friedrich</forename>
  <genName>II.</genName>
  <roleName>König von Preußen</roleName>
</persName>

Novalis

<persName ref="http://d-nb.info/gnd/118588893">
  <surname>Hardenberg</surname>
  <forename>Georg Philipp Friedrich</forename>
  <nameLink>von</nameLink>
  <addName>Novalis</addName>
</persName>

Karl von Moor

<persName ref="nognd">
  <surname>Moor</surname>
  <forename>Karl</forename>
  <nameLink>von</nameLink>
</persName>