Spot anything wrong with this doormat?
It's one of the most common mistakes on personalised doormats, house signs and Christmas cards — and once you notice it, you'll see it everywhere. Plenty of people end up with the wrong version simply because that's how it arrived, or because it came as a housewarming gift and they assumed whoever made it knew best.
Here's the easy way to get your family name right before it goes on your front step for the next ten years.
The rule: plural, not possessive
A doormat is saying "the people who live here are the Smiths." That's a plural — more than one Smith — so all you do is add an s. No apostrophe.
An apostrophe does a different job: it shows ownership. "Smith's" means something belongs to one person called Smith, so "The Smith's" on a doormat doesn't actually say anything. One person is Susan Smith; Susan and her family together are the Smiths.
If you really want to show ownership — "the house that belongs to the Smiths" — the apostrophe goes after the s, because it belongs to all of them.
- Plural (best for a doormat): THE SMITHS
- One person owns it: SUSAN SMITH'S HOUSE
- The whole family owns it: THE SMITHS' HOUSE
Names that already end in s
This is where most people get stuck. With a name like Jones, you add es to make the plural.
- Plural (best for a doormat): THE JONESES
- One person owns it: JOHN JONES' HOUSE
- The whole family owns it: THE JONESES' HOUSE
"The Joneses" can look unusual written down, but it's correct — and it's exactly how you'd say it out loud.
Names ending in sh, ch, x or z
The same es rule applies to names that end in a hissing sound, because you'd naturally add an extra syllable when you say them:
- Walsh → the Walshes
- Church → the Churches
- Fox → the Foxes
- Martinez → the Martinezes
Names ending in y
With ordinary words, y often turns into "ies" — but surnames keep their spelling. Just add an s:
- Kennedy → the Kennedys (not the Kennedies)
- Murphy → the Murphys
Quick reference
| Surname | On your doormat | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Smith | The Smiths | The Smith's |
| Jones | The Joneses | The Jones's, The Jones' |
| Walsh | The Walshes | The Walsh's |
| Kennedy | The Kennedys | The Kennedy's, The Kennedies |
Not sure? Skip the plural altogether
If your surname makes the plural look awkward — or you just can't agree as a family — there are tidy ways around it that are always correct:
- The Smith Family
- The Jones Family, Est. 2026
- Welcome to the Smiths' (short for "the Smiths' home")
- The Smiths, Est. 2026
"The ___ Family" works with every surname, never needs an apostrophe, and pairs nicely with an established year or your house number.
So, is your doormat right?
For a doormat, you almost never need an apostrophe — just the plural. Have a look at yours. If it's wrong, you're far from alone, and it's an easy fix next time.
Ordering a personalised doormat? Run your surname through the quick reference above before you type it in — the name on your mat will appear exactly as you enter it. Our doormats are personalised in Melbourne, and you're welcome to see them in person at our Caulfield showroom.
