Apostrophes in names

No Apostrophe in the Plural of a Name

Do not use an apostrophe to form the plural of a name. For example:

• The Smith's are in town. 
(Smiths )
• Did you visit the Ford's yesterday? 
(Fords )
• The Bates's will attend the party. 
(Bateses )
• Can you ask the Alverez's to move their cars? 
(Alverezes )

For the Possessive Case, Treat a Plural Name Like Any Other Plural Noun

When an apostrophe is needed to show the possessive form of a plural family name (e.g., Smiths, Fords, Bateses, Alverezes), the name is treated just like any other plural noun that ends in s. For example:

• The Smiths' cat has gone missing. 
(Smiths' is the possessive form of the plural proper noun Smiths.)
• Have you seen the Fords' new car? 
(Fords' is the possessive form of Fords.)
• The Bateses' holiday was ruined by the weather. 
(Bateses' is the possessive form of Bates.)
• Take these scones to the Alverezes' house. 
(Alverezes' is the possessive form of Alverezes.)

Remember, to form the plural of any ending s or z, add -es. Once you have done that, apply the normal rules to create the possessive form.