Which one is correct?

[davedudes]

Jones's, Jones', Joneses?

And in which/what situation are either of these needed?

Dumb Saturday question out of the way.

 

[davedudes]

It's been bugging me for a while, but my local coffee shop is named Jones's, I've been going grrrrr! It's Jones'!

So either are fine, it's just personal preference?

 

[davedudes]

This.

You add ‘s to a singular name that ends in s: Jones's

You add an es to make it plural: Joneses.

You then add an apostrophe to make the plural possessive: Joneses'

You wouldn't use Jones' as Jones is a name and although it is creeping into common usage to simply use an apostrophe, it isn't technically correct use of the apostrophe with names.

Hope that clears it up.

The person who owns this coffee shop is named Mrs Jones, and has named the shop "Jones's; but there are about three coffee shops in my county that she owns. So one person that owns multiple shops = Joneses? Or Joneses?

Or am I thinking too much?

 

[davedudes]

The shop would be Jones's Coffee Shop. I don't think you would use the term Joneses at all...you would say 'Mrs Jones owns multiple coffee shops by the name Jones's Coffee Shop' , or 'Mrs Jones owns several Jones's Coffee Shops'.....because the shop is the plural not the owner. If it was a family affair you might say 'The Joneses own several coffee shops.'

But yeah, you are over thinking it....

Cheers.