Do you use an apostrophe for last names?

Don't use an apostrophe to make your last name plural. Apostrophes can be used to show possession—à la the Smithsʼ house or Tim Johnsonʼs pad— but they don't indicate there's more than one person in your family.

Which is correct the Smiths or the Smith's?

All you need is an “s” at the end of the name (Smiths, Johnsons). If you have trouble remembering whether the apostrophe is necessary, think of your message. For instance, if you mean to say, “The Smiths live here,” then you don't need the apostrophe on the sign or that sentence.

Do last names need an apostrophe?

Remember: the only time you add an apostrophe to a last name is if you are making your last name possessive. For example, "That is the Gamels' house on the corner." Thanks for reading!

Is it the Johnsons or the Johnson's?

If your last name is Johnson and you want to send a card from your family, simply add an "s": The Johnsons ("Merry Christmas from the Johnsons!"). Only use an apostrophe when you want to make a name possessive. ("From The Smith's" is always wrong, but "The party is at the Smiths' house" is correct.)

How do you pluralize last names?

Names are proper nouns, which become plurals the same way that other nouns do: add the letter -s for most names (“the Johnsons,” “the Websters”) or add -es if the name ends in s or z (“the Joneses,” “the Martinezes”).

Do you use an apostrophe for plural last names?

Which is correct Jones or Jones's?

Jones = Mr. Jones's. Some people favor adding only an apostrophe to a singular noun ending in s, but if you follow the rule, you can't be wrong. If a plural noun does not end in an s, you must make it possessive by adding an apostrophe and an s: women's; children's.

How do you write family last name plural?

What is the correct grammar for last names?

Rule #1: A last name is always written out in its entirety. Think of it this way: It's their name, so you can't exactly change it, right? Rule #2: You never need an apostrophe when signing or addressing cards. (Apostrophes imply possession, which isn't what you're trying to do.

How do you make a last name plural that ends in s possessive?

Rule: To form the plural of a last name that ends with an s, add an es. To form the possessive of the plural, add an apostrophe. The Dennises are a nice family.

How do you write family names?

The Whole Family's Last Name

To show possession of a whole family: Add -es or -s to write the family's last name in plural form. Add an apostrophe at the end to show possession.

Is it Mr Jones or Mr Jones's?

But most people would pronounce an added s in “Jones's,” so we'd write it as we say it: Mr. Jones's golf clubs. This method explains the punctuation of for goodness' sake. Rule 2: To show plural possession of a word ending in an s or s sound, form the plural first; then immediately use the apostrophe.

Is it Thomas or Thomas's?

So a safe solution is to treat singular nouns ending in S the same way you treat singulars nouns not ending in S: Form the possessive with an apostrophe and an S. Thomas's house. The important thing to remember is that Thomas is singular.

Is it Hayes's or Hayes?

I'm trying to get a neon sign for a wedding but my new last name is going to be Hayes. Would it say the Hayeses (that just looks off to me), the Hayes's or the Hayes'? According to Merriam-Webster, it would be Hayeses. The plurals of last names are just like the plurals of most nouns.

When addressing a family is there an apostrophe?

Apostrophes are used to show possession. Your family last name on its own is not possessive. You would say We are the Smiths. You would not say We are the Smith's House.

Do I say James or James's?

For proper names like James, AP says, add an apostrophe only: He borrowed James' car. For generics like boss, add an apostrophe plus S: He borrowed the boss's car. But there's an exception: When the word that follows begins with an S, use an apostrophe only. Hence: the boss' sister.

How do you know when to use apostrophe S or S apostrophe?

What are the 3 rules for apostrophes?

The apostrophe has three uses: 1) to form possessive nouns; 2) to show the omission of letters; and 3) to indicate plurals of letters, numbers, and symbols. ​Do not ​use apostrophes to form possessive ​pronouns ​(i.e. ​his​/​her ​computer) or ​noun ​plurals that are not possessives.

Is it Jones or Jones's possessive?

According to English style guides, singular possessives are formed with –'s and plurals with just an apostrophe, so the possessive of the singular Jones is Jones's and of the plural Joneses is Joneses'.

How do you give a possession to a name that ends in s?

Their practice is that any time a words ends in "s," you put an apostrophe after the "s" to make it possessive.

Do you use an apostrophe for last names wedding?

Let's say your last name is Miller.

When you use the apostrophe, that indicates possession, i.e. the wedding that belongs to Mr. and Mrs. Miller would be “The Miller's wedding.” Or “The Miller's house” to indicate the house belonging to the Miller family.

What is the proper way to hyphenate a last name?

A hyphenated last name would be Smith-Jones or Jones-Smith. It's your choice which name comes first. Hyphenating your last name is considered a legal name change – meaning you can't drop your spouse's name or the hyphen in the future without having to go through a court-ordered name change.

How do you pluralize a couple's last name?

How do you write two family names?

A hyphenated last name is a combined last name of two spouses. A hyphenated last name may also be called a double surname or double-barrelled surname. For example, Sarah Smith marries Adam Jones. A hyphenated last name would be Smith-Jones or Jones-Smith.

How do you write multiple family names?

Is it Williams or Williams's?

The Associated Press Stylebook recommends just an apostrophe: It's Tennessee Williams' best play. But most other authorities endorse 's: Williams's. Williams's means “belonging to Williams.” It is not the plural form of Williams. People's names become plural the way most other words do.