How to Address an Envelope to a Family
Write "The (Surname) Family" at the top of the address., Use the plural form of the family name., Address the rest of the envelope as normal.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Write "The (Surname) Family" at the top of the address.
When you're looking to address an envelope to an entire family, rather than a single individual, you have two options: you can use the family name to represent the entire family, or you can specifically address the envelope to some (or all) of the family members.
Let's tackle the first option first.
The easiest way to address an envelope to an entire family is simply write "The (Last Name of the Family) Family" as the first line of your address.
This method is a good choice for general communications (like friendly letters) but may be unwise for addressing envelopes in which it's important to know who the letter is specifically for (like wedding invitations).
For example, if we're writing a letter to Tim and Janet Jones and their children Emma and Peter, we would address the envelope to The Jones Family. -
Step 2: Use the plural form of the family name.
As an alternative to the above, it's also acceptable to simply use the plural form of the family's surname as the first line of the envelope's address.
In this case, the plural family name is always preceded by the word "The" so that the final result is in the form of "The Smiths"
"The Garcias"
and so on.
Don't fall into the trap of using apostrophes here.
Apostrophes are used to convey possession, not to make a word plural, so you shouldn't use them in the plural form of the family name.
Most family names simply need an
-s at the end to become plural (e.g.
Thompsons, Lincolns).
However, family names that end with an "s"
"sh"
or "x" sound usually need an
-es at the end (e.g.
Roses, Foxes, Welshes).
Following our example above, if we're writing a letter to the Jones family, in addition to using "The Jones Family" as the first line of our address, we can also simply use The Joneses. , Regardless of the method you use for the first line of your envelope's address, the rest of the address is written as it would be for any other letter.
Under the first line containing the family name, write the street number or PO box, then, on the next line, write the city, state/province, postal code, and so on.
If writing internationally, write the name of the country below on a separate fourth line.
Write your return address in the same fashion in the top left corner of the envelope.
For more information, see How to Write an Address on an Envelope.
For example, in our Jones family example, our final address might look something like this:
The Jones Family (or "The Joneses") 21 Jump Street Anytown, CA, 98765 As a general rule, whenever you're addressing an envelope to a family, the first line of the address is the one you'll change — the actual street address should remain untouched.
In the following methods described below, it is to be assumed that the portion of the address following the "name" line should be written as normal. -
Step 3: Address the rest of the envelope as normal.
Detailed Guide
When you're looking to address an envelope to an entire family, rather than a single individual, you have two options: you can use the family name to represent the entire family, or you can specifically address the envelope to some (or all) of the family members.
Let's tackle the first option first.
The easiest way to address an envelope to an entire family is simply write "The (Last Name of the Family) Family" as the first line of your address.
This method is a good choice for general communications (like friendly letters) but may be unwise for addressing envelopes in which it's important to know who the letter is specifically for (like wedding invitations).
For example, if we're writing a letter to Tim and Janet Jones and their children Emma and Peter, we would address the envelope to The Jones Family.
As an alternative to the above, it's also acceptable to simply use the plural form of the family's surname as the first line of the envelope's address.
In this case, the plural family name is always preceded by the word "The" so that the final result is in the form of "The Smiths"
"The Garcias"
and so on.
Don't fall into the trap of using apostrophes here.
Apostrophes are used to convey possession, not to make a word plural, so you shouldn't use them in the plural form of the family name.
Most family names simply need an
-s at the end to become plural (e.g.
Thompsons, Lincolns).
However, family names that end with an "s"
"sh"
or "x" sound usually need an
-es at the end (e.g.
Roses, Foxes, Welshes).
Following our example above, if we're writing a letter to the Jones family, in addition to using "The Jones Family" as the first line of our address, we can also simply use The Joneses. , Regardless of the method you use for the first line of your envelope's address, the rest of the address is written as it would be for any other letter.
Under the first line containing the family name, write the street number or PO box, then, on the next line, write the city, state/province, postal code, and so on.
If writing internationally, write the name of the country below on a separate fourth line.
Write your return address in the same fashion in the top left corner of the envelope.
For more information, see How to Write an Address on an Envelope.
For example, in our Jones family example, our final address might look something like this:
The Jones Family (or "The Joneses") 21 Jump Street Anytown, CA, 98765 As a general rule, whenever you're addressing an envelope to a family, the first line of the address is the one you'll change — the actual street address should remain untouched.
In the following methods described below, it is to be assumed that the portion of the address following the "name" line should be written as normal.
About the Author
Ruth Ryan
Dedicated to helping readers learn new skills in cooking and beyond.
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