The general structure of European names is: given name first, surname last. For example, the British writer William Shakespeare, William is the first name and Shakespeare is the surname. Some people have two names. When writing, the other name is connected with a short line, and the last name is written after it. For example, the author of "The Internationale" has two names. His full name is Eugène-Edme Baudier. Eugène and Edem are his first names, and Baudier is his surname.
Another common structure for European names is the first name plus the patronymic plus the surname. British writer Bernard Shaw, his full name is George Bernard Shaw. In the past, according to Chinese custom, it was translated as Bernard Shaw, and the surname was moved to the front, so that people mistakenly thought that his surname was Xiao and his first name was Bernard. In fact, George is his first name, Bernard is his father's first name, and Shaw is his surname. Nowadays, people still use the familiar translation name, calling him Bernard Shaw.
European women's names are given by their father's surname before marriage, and are changed to their husband's surname after marriage. For example, the famous physicist Marie Curie, whose original name was Marie Sklodowska. Her husband was Pierre Curie. After she got married, people called her Madame Curie according to her husband's surname.
There are some syllables in European names that are neither given names nor surnames, but are signs of noble origin. This sign is usually "German" in France and Spain, and "von" in Germany. For example, the full name of the author of the French writer "The Necklace" is Guy de Maupassant. The German writer, author of "Faust", whose full name is Johann-Wolfgang von Goethe.