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RISM Cataloging Guidelines

8 – Personal names

8.1 – Main entry fields

8.1.1 – Heading - Personal name

Heading - Personal name (100)

The field Heading - Personal name is for the name of the person in its authorized form. The heading is made up of the name in 100 $a, the years in 100 $d, and words in 100 $c.

Heading - Personal name (100 $a)

Names are entered in inverted order in the form Surname, Forename, with a comma separating the elements for names. If you only have initials or an artificially constructed name (such as a designation identifying a copyist), enter in uninverted order. Names of members of the nobility are entered in the local usual form.

For names originally written using non-Latin scripts, enter the transliterated form using the Latin alphabet in this field. The original form in non-Latin script, as well as alternate transliterations, can be entered in the field Name variant (400).

Examples
  • Telemann, Georg Philipp
  • A. C.
  • Copyist C. H. Graun IX (Blechschmidt)
  • Anna Amalia, Herzogin von Sachsen-Weimar-Eisenach
  • Aylesford, Heneage Finch, 3rd Earl of

Titles and words associated with a name (100 $c)

Enter additions to names such as Jr., III, Sir, Meister, etc., as well as the person’s religious order or title. Abbreviations for religious orders are taken from the Wikipedia page “Liste der Ordenskürzel (römisch-katholisch)”.

In rare cases of people with identical headings, enter qualifying information to differentiate one of the people, such as Composer or Poet.

Examples
  • OCist
  • Dr.

Life dates (100 $d)

Enter the person’s years of birth and death, or when unknown, approximate relevant century or centuries. For sorting purposes, this field must begin with a number. The abbreviation a.C. is used for BCE (Before Common Era) dates.

If the person’s exact years of birth and/or death are unknown, use the following abbreviations to signal that the years are not exact.

For the meaning Use this abbreviation after the number Example to input in 100$d
century: 18th century .sc 18.sc
before: before 1811 a 1811a
after: after 1811 p 1811p
circa: circa 1816 c 1816c
born: born in 1816, but year of death unknown * 1816*
died: died in 1756, but year of birth unknown + 1756+
or: lived in the 17th or 18th centuries / 17/18
Examples
  • 1879-1967
  • 516c-451c a.C.
  • 4/3 a.C.
  • 18.sc
  • 1811a-1855p
  • 1816c*
  • 1756+
  • 1760c-1808
  • 1760c-1810c
  • 17/18

Obsolete procedures:

  • The field Other life dates (100 $y) was migrated to 678 in 2026.
  • The field 100 $c was previously called “Religious order/Title” but the scope was expanded and the field renamed in 2025.
  • The field Status (100 $w) was used as an indicator imported from the Deutsche Nationalbibliothek and was removed in 2024.

8.1.2 – Authentication code

Authentication code (042)

The field Authentication code indicates whether or not the name has been connected to a single individual.

Authentication code (042 $a)

Enter whether the name is differentiated or undifferentiated. New names are differentiated by default. Differentiated entries refer to a concrete person. Undifferentiated entries cannot yet be connected to a single individual and may represent multiple people.

Select from:

  • differentiated
  • undifferentiated

8.1.3 – Gender

Gender (375)

The field Gender is for the gender of the person described in the record.

Gender (375 $a)

Select the gender of the person:

  • Female
  • Male
  • Unknown

8.1.4 – Nationality

Nationality (043)

The field Nationality is for the nationality of the person described in the record.

Nationality (043 $c)

Select the modern-day nationality of the person. Multiple countries may be selected if the person was a citizen of multiple countries. Additional countries may be added in consultation with the RISM Editorial Center. For historical regions (Prussia, Bohemia), enter the closest modern equivalent.

8.2 – Numbers and code fields

8.2.1 – Other standard identifier

Other standard identifier (024)

The field Other standard identifier is for alphanumeric codes that refer to a name created by another agency.

Standard number or code (024 $a)

Enter the alphanumeric code used to identify the name. The code is taken from the authority data of the creating agency.

Examples
  • 100221216
  • n83176163

Source of number or code (024 $2)

Enter the agency that created the standard number or code. Select from the following:

  • BNE: Biblioteca Nacional de España
  • BNF: Bibliothèque nationale de France: Enter the entire ark, starting with ark:/
  • DNB: Deutsche Nationalbibliothek
  • ICCU: Istituto centrale per il Catalogo unico delle biblioteche italiane e per le informazioni bibliografiche
  • ISNI: International Standard Name Identifier
  • LC: Library of Congress
  • NLP: Biblioteka Narodowa
  • NKC: Národní knihovna České republiky
  • OCLC: OCLC’s WorldCat Entities
  • ORCID: Open Researcher and Contributor ID
  • SWNL: Schweizerische Nationalbibliothek/Bibliothèque nationale suisse/Biblioteca nazionale svizzera
  • VIAF: Virtual International Authority File
  • WKP: Wikidata (Wikipedia): Identifiers must begin with Q
  • CMO: Corpus Musicae Ottomanicae
  • CORAGO: Corago

8.3 – Name variants

8.3.1 – Name variant

Name variant (400)

The field Name variant is for forms of the name that differ from the authorized form, including birth names, pseudonyms, religious names, names spelled differently on different sources, and alternate transliterations.

Name variant (400 $a)

Enter the name variant. For names originally written using non-Latin scripts, enter the form in the non-Latin script in this field. Transliterations using other translation tables can also be entered here.

Life dates (400 $d)

Do not enter anything in this field. This field may be filled out automatically if names are imported from VIAF. Any variants in life dates should be entered in the field Source data found (670).

Type of name variant (400 $j)

Select the type of name variant from the following list. The codes in square brackets refer to internal RISM codes.

  • Alternate spelling [z]: This is for alternate spellings, transliterations, or names using non-Latin alphabets.
  • Baptismal name [tn]
  • Birth name [gg]
  • Initials [in]
  • Married name [ee]
  • Nickname [bn]: Nickname, sobriquet, or epithet, such as Il Sassone or Karl der Kühne
  • Pseudonym [da]
  • Religious name [do]
  • Translation [ub]: For example, Ackermann, Alexander is a translated variant of Agricola, Alexander
  • Uncategorized [xx]

Obsolete procedure: In previous cataloging programs, some name variants either had no type assigned or used other categories that are no longer relevant. Such variants were assigned the neutral value xx (uncategorized). Catalogers may assigned these to a more specific type when appropriate.

8.4 – Relations

8.4.1 – Related personal name

The field Related personal name describes relationships between people, primarily familial.

Enter the personal name that stands in relation to the person in question. This field is linked to the Personal names authority file through $0 and life dates are displayed in $d.

Type of relationship (500 $i)

Indicate the type of relationship the person in question has to the related person. For example, the authority record for Clara Schumann will have the following in this section: Schumann, Felix - mother of.

Select from the following:

  • Brother of
  • Child of
  • Confused with
  • Father of
  • Married to
  • Mother of
  • Other: Select if the relationship is not familial.
  • Related to: Use for a different familial relationship not on this list, such as an aunt, uncle, cousin, etc.
  • Sister of

8.4.2 – Related institution

The field Related institution is used to document institutions associated with the person.

Institution (510 $a)

Enter the institution associated with the person. This field is linked to the Institutions authority file through $0.

Obsolete procedures: In Kallisto, this field was used in conjunction with the field Additional biographical information and recorded biographical information found on a musical source. The biographical information was entered in 678 and the siglum of the institution which housed the source was entered in 510. All other biographical information was entered as a general note (today 680). Since the introduction of Muscat, the distinction is no longer made whether the biographical information comes from a musical source or not.

8.4.3 – Profession or function

Profession or function (550)

The field Profession or function is for the profession of the person or the function the person plays in relation to a musical source.

Profession or function (550 $a)

Enter, in English, the profession or function of the person. Professions can refer to any profession or occupation that the person carried out, whether or not it has to do with music. A function refers to the relationship of the person to a musical source.

Examples
  • Composer
  • Priest
  • Politician
  • Dedicatee

Obsolete procedures: Some older RISM records contain “profession” in 550$i which indicated the type of term.

8.4.4 – Related place

The field Related place is for geographic names associated with the person in question.

Enter the geographic name (country, region, city, etc.) associated with the person in question. Names are entered in the modern local language. Geographic names are connected with the Places authority file.

Type (551 $i)

Indicate the how the geographical name is related to the person in question.

Select from the following:

  • Country active
  • Place active: Typically a city, town, village, etc.
  • Place of birth: Typically a city, town, village, etc.
  • Place of death: Typically a city, town, village, etc.
  • Place of origin: Use when there is no further information available about the place of birth.
  • Region active: Examples: Süddeutschland, Hessen, New England

8.5 – References and notes

8.5.1 – Source data found

Source data found (670)

The field Source data found keeps track of the secondary literature that was consulted while creating the heading and gives the form of the name and dates found therein. Forms of the name that differ from the form given in Heading - Personal name (100 $a) must be entered in the field Name variant (400 $a).

Source data found (670 $a)

Enter the short title of the resource consulted. This field is connected to the Secondary literature database and is linked through $w.

Source citation (670 $9)

Enter the page number where the name is found. For online publications, enter the citation form as recommended by the resource.

Examples
  • p. 42
  • MONIKA SCHWARZ-DANUSER, Art. Mendelssohn, Fanny (Caecilie), in: MGG Online, hrsg. von Laurenz Lütteken, Kassel, Stuttgart, New York: 2016ff., zuerst veröffentlicht 2004, online veröffentlicht 2016

Information found (670 $b)

Required if 670 $a is filled out.

Enter the form of the name and years as indicated in the literature. Add a page number or other locators (such as vide for encyclopedias) if appropriate.

Examples
  • Bach, Johann Christian II. (Giovanni) [bapt. 07.09.1735-1782]
  • vide 6, 834

URI (670 $u)

Enter the URI of an online publication or the link to a digitized version of a publication.

Example
  • https://www.mgg-online.com/mgg/stable/534522

8.5.2 – Source data not found

Source data not found (675)

The field Source data not found keeps track of the secondary literature that was consulted while creating the heading, but which yielded no information.

Source citation (675 $a)

Enter the short title of the resource consulted. This field is connected to the Secondary literature database. Enter one short title per field.

MARC export note: If this field is repeated, upon export the values are joined in a single instance of 675$a, separated by a semicolon.

8.5.3 – Other life dates

Other life dates (678 $a)

The full life dates, including month and day, may be entered here. Enter concrete dates in the form DD.MM.YYYY. Elements of a date that are not available may be omitted. Years active or flourishing must be preceded by fl. Floruit dates may also refer to known, attested years.

Examples
  • 22.11.1879-31.12.1967
  • 11.12.1864-
    Only date of birth known
  • 06.1715-1780
    Day of birth unknown, but month was June
  • -12.12.1803
    Only date of death known
  • fl. 1732-1735
    Only years active known

Obsolete procedures: The field 678 was previously called Additional biographical information (100 $y) and was used for biographical information found on a musical source. In previous cataloging programs, it was linked to a related institution. The relationship between the biographical information and the source and institution was discontinued with the introduction of Muscat, and the scope of the field was redefined in 2026.

8.5.4 – General note

General note (680)

The field General note is for any other kind of information.

General note (680 $a)

Enter any other notes about the person.

8.5.5 – External resource

External resource (856)

The field External resource is used to link to external resources, such as writing samples.

External resource URL (856 $u)

Enter the URL. Only enter one URL per field. All URLs must begin with http or https. Always use permalinks.

Note about external resource (856 $z)

Briefly describe what the URL points to in your cataloging language.

Example

Indicate the kind of link. Choose between:

  • IIIF manifest
  • Online resource

8.5.6 – Internal note

Internal note (667)

The field Internal note is used for information not intended for public display. Internal notes are not published in the RISM catalogs or available in the RISM open data.

Internal note (667 $a)

Enter local notes for internal use, including for use within your own working group. Any language may be entered here. Internal notes can be used for remarks of all kinds, such as questions, comments, or research to be done. Delete notes after they have served their purpose. It is best practice to sign your note using your initials and the date.

8.5.7 – Contributing project

Contributing project (910)

The field Contributing project is used to show that a specific project contributed the personal name. This increases the visibility of cataloging projects and allows funding bodies to be named. This field can only be added in consultation with the Editorial Center.

Institution (910 $a)

The field Institution is for the name of the institution or cataloging project that contributed the cataloging data. Names of projects are taken from the Institutions authority file.

Project URL (910 $u)

Enter the full URL for the website of the contributing project.

8.6 – Control fields

8.6.1 – Cataloging source

Cataloging source (040)

The field Cataloging source indicates the organization that created the original record.

Cataloging language (040 $b)

Indicate your cataloging language. Select from the following.

  • English
  • French
  • German
  • Italian
  • Portuguese
  • Spanish

8.6.2 – Leader

Leader (000)

Do not change.

The field Leader consists of data elements that contain numbers or coded values that define the parameters for the processing of the record. It is automatically generated.

8.6.3 – RISM ID number

RISM ID number (001)

The field RISM ID number is the permanent RISM identifier for the record. This number is automatically generated and cannot be changed.

8.6.4 – Control number identifier

Control number identifier (003)

The field Control number identifier gives the code for the agency whose system control number is contained in the field RISM ID number (001). For new records, this is always RISM, so the ISIL code for RISM is automatically generated: DE-633

8.6.5 – Date and time of last transaction

Date and time of latest transaction (005)

The field Date and time of latest transaction indicates the last time a record was changed. It consists of sixteen characters that specify the date and time of the latest record transaction and serve as a version identifier for the record. The data and time are given according to Representation of Dates and Times (ISO 8601) in the pattern yyyymmdd and hhmmss.f. The field is automatically generated.