Why do people pluralize family names by using an apostrophe?

[Anonymous]

This is such a huge pet peeve of mine. Shocked how many people don't know how to pluralize their family name. So many people also do this on Facebook.

Hanging out with the Smith's
Love, the Lancasters'
The Murphy's wish you a merry Christmas.


I'm annoying by folks referring to grades as A's and B's -- should be As and Bs. I also see a lot of people use 80's and 90's -- should be 80s and 90s.
[Report Post]

I believe it's the '80s and '90s (abbreviation apostrophes).

In any case, many manuals say that use of the apostrophe with one letter is fine (A's and B's). A typical example is "mind your p's and q's".

Anyway, this is no big deal as it does not affect communication.

[Anonymous]

Isn't it correct to say the Lancasters'? Same as the Lancasters's? You wouldn't say the Lancasterses.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Isn't it correct to say the Lancasters'? Same as the Lancasters's? You wouldn't say the Lancasterses.

OMG. No apostrophe. Stop trying to get it in there!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Isn't it correct to say the Lancasters'? Same as the Lancasters's? You wouldn't say the Lancasterses.

The Lancasters' what? The apostrophe there indicates possession. I'm assuming the name is Lancaster in the singular. You can say "we are visiting the Lancasters" when you are visiting with more than one of them.

[Anonymous]

I think people who harp on grammar rules are people who are otherwise not very smart and thus like to harp on something small and significant that nonetheless makes them feel superior.

Signed,
Someone with a genius level IQ

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

This is such a huge pet peeve of mine. Shocked how many people don't know how to pluralize their family name. So many people also do this on Facebook.

Hanging out with the Smith's
Love, the Lancasters'
The Murphy's wish you a merry Christmas.


I'm annoying by folks referring to grades as A's and B's -- should be As and Bs. I also see a lot of people use 80's and 90's -- should be 80s and 90s.
[Report Post]

I believe it's the '80s and '90s (abbreviation apostrophes).

In any case, many manuals say that use of the apostrophe with one letter is fine (A's and B's). A typical example is "mind your p's and q's".

Anyway, this is no big deal as it does not affect communication.

From AP Stylebooks' Facebook page on December 2:

"For plurals of figures, add s: The custom began in the 1920s. For plurals of single letters, use 's: Mind your p's and q's, straight A's, he learned the three R's. For plurals of multiple letters, add s: Four VIPs were there."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Isn't it correct to say the Lancasters'? Same as the Lancasters's? You wouldn't say the Lancasterses.

English teacher here. No. An apostrophe is ONLY EVER for possession. Never for pluralizing. Never. That's easy to remember.

You would say The Lancaster Family or the Lancasters. If you were, say, the Hess family, you would be the Hesses. Pluralization is only going to need an s or es.

Now if you were going to the home of the Lancaster family it would be "the Lancasters' house." "That is John Lancaster's car." Possession = apostrophe.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think people who harp on grammar rules are people who are otherwise not very smart and thus like to harp on something small and significant that nonetheless makes them feel superior.

Signed,
Someone with a genius level IQ

I'd argue this isn't insignificant. You have a major intelligence problem if you don't know how to pluralize your own last name.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is such a huge pet peeve of mine. Shocked how many people don't know how to pluralize their family name. So many people also do this on Facebook.

Hanging out with the Smith's
Love, the Lancasters'
The Murphy's wish you a merry Christmas.

I'm annoying by folks referring to grades as A's and B's -- should be As and Bs. I also see a lot of people use 80's and 90's -- should be 80s and 90s.

You need to get over that as it's grammatically acceptable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is such a huge pet peeve of mine. Shocked how many people don't know how to pluralize their family name. So many people also do this on Facebook.

Hanging out with the Smith's
Love, the Lancasters'
The Murphy's wish you a merry Christmas.

I'm annoying by folks referring to grades as A's and B's -- should be As and Bs. I also see a lot of people use 80's and 90's -- should be 80s and 90s.

You need to get over that as it's grammatically acceptable.

Completely agree on the former but the latter is still not universally acceptable.