How do you pluralize a surname with an S at the end?

[roaminblue]

James' = belonging to, I believe. Is it the same for a plural?

Only use an apostrophe for creating the possessive form.

Cheers. Feel a bit silly now. I was probably off on the day we did plurals

 

[Dubai Blue]

There shouldn't be any extra 's' or an apostrophe in this particular case.

If you surname was Johnson, you would put 'The Johnson Family', not 'The Johnson's Family'.

Edit: Just read the OP again and you've already covered that. Whoops!

It should be 'es'

 

[denislawsbackheel]

Three pages before we got a correct response!

Well done that man.

 

[flightless]

I was thinking along your lines initially.

Yeah, it's simple and looks right. For what it's worth, we're the McManus'.

Sorry guys, but you're wrong. Apostrophes are only used for omission and possession. McManus' means you're about to name something that belongs to the family. McManuses would be correct.

For what it's worth, I'm a teacher and I cover this stuff regularly.

-- Tue Jun 04, 2013 9:37 am --

For what it's worth, we're the McManus'.

You're the McManus' what?

Exactly!

You're right and technically speaking, I agree. Aesthetically I think the apostrophe is the better solution for my name though. I understand the possessive implication but apostrophes are regularly used in incorrect places in order to avoid confusion (e.g. when talking about £'s or multiples of letters, e.g. a's, b's, c's...). None of these are "correct" but are commonly used enough to be acceptable in my eyes.

So yeah, I know my reply wasn't grammatically "correct", but in terms of adding a title to a family photo, it's what I would go with.

 

[another generation]

For what it's worth, we're the McManus'.

You're the McManus' what?

You're right and technically speaking, I agree. Aesthetically I think the apostrophe is the better solution for my name though. I understand the possessive implication but apostrophes are regularly used in incorrect places in order to avoid confusion.

So you'd rather go for something, just because you happen to see it all the time? I despair! Why not go the whole hog and add shrek's mug to the family photo? You see that all the time, too! ;-)

 

[Mental_blue]

Do you add an es or add an apostrophe after the last s? I'm having a picture done of my 2 kids, hubby and myself and I want the title to be The xxxxxxxxxs referring to our family. I could have The xxxxxxxxxs Family but didn't want that.

The bigger question is wha sort of fucking surname is xxxxxxxxx?

Not only that buy it doesn't end with an s anyway so what's the point in this thread?

 

[bigquinn772]

Do you add an es or add an apostrophe after the last s? I'm having a picture done of my 2 kids, hubby and myself and I want the title to be The xxxxxxxxxs referring to our family. I could have The xxxxxxxxxs Family but didn't want that.

The bigger question is wha sort of fucking surname is xxxxxxxxx?

Not only that buy it doesn't end with an s anyway so what's the point in this thread?

The pair of you are a bunch of smart alecs!

 

[flightless]

You're the McManus' what?

You're right and technically speaking, I agree. Aesthetically I think the apostrophe is the better solution for my name though. I understand the possessive implication but apostrophes are regularly used in incorrect places in order to avoid confusion.

So you'd rather go for something, just because you happen to see it all the time? I despair! Why not go the whole hog and add shrek's mug to the family photo? You see that all the time, too! ;-)

I'd rather go for something that looks like my name than be technically correct on this one. I won't win this debate though, you are right (and believe it or not I can be a bit of a grammar basher myself - I hate badly spelled shop signs or newspaper articles etc...). Hey ho, I'm a walking contradiction.

With the kip of some of my family, shrek might be an improvement.

 

[Mental_blue]

The bigger question is wha sort of fucking surname is xxxxxxxxx?

Not only that buy it doesn't end with an s anyway so what's the point in this thread?

The pair of you are a bunch of smart alecs!

Should that be alecses?

On another note...if there a number of bands called The Stone Roses, should they collectively be known as The Stone Roseses?

 

[Tuearts right boot]

So....if your name is Malcolm X ???