Email is certainly the most widely used communication tool on a commercial level. However, for those who have to maintain relationships with foreign people living abroad it is essential to understand and manage a traditional letter, but above all to write the address correctly in English. Furthermore, a further difficulty arises. Typically, writing the address of a single person, even a foreigner, on an envelope is child's play - all you need is the name, possibly the title, so you are ready to send it. Instead, doing it for an entire family is a different matter. There are several ways to write a family's address on the envelope in English, each with its own subtleties to consider. While no single process is that difficult, understanding when (and how) to use each method can be helpful for etiquette reasons. Read the first step below to get started!
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Use the Last Name
Step 1. Write "The (Surname) Family" at the top of the address
When trying to address a letter to an entire family, rather than a single individual, you have two options: you can use the surname, meaning the whole family, or you can specifically address the letter to family members (only some or all). Let's tackle the first alternative first. The easiest way to address a letter to an entire English family is to simply write on the envelope "The (Surname) Family" in the first line of the address. This method is an excellent choice for general communications (such as letters of a confidential nature), but it may be unwise when you intend to send a letter in which it is important to define who it is addressed to (such as wedding invitations).
For example, if we send a letter to Tim and Janet Jones and their children Emma and Peter, we should write on the envelope The Jones Family.
Step 2. Use the plural form of the surname
As an alternative to the above, it is permissible to simply use the plural form of the family surname in the first line of the envelope address. In this case, the plural form of the surname is always preceded by the article "The" and, therefore, the final result will be, for example, "The Smiths", "The Garcias" and so on.
- Don't fall into the trap of apostrophes. Apostrophes are used to communicate ownership, not to create a plural word, so you shouldn't use them in the plural form of the surname. Most English surnames simply need an s at the end to form the plural (e.g. Thompsons, Lincolns). However, surnames ending in "s", "sh" or "x" usually need the ending -es at the end (for example, Rosses, Foxes, Welshes).
- Following the previous example, if we write a letter to the Jones family, in addition to using "The Jones Family" in the first line of the address, we could also simply use The Joneses.
Step 3. Write the rest of the address on the envelope as usual
Regardless of the method used in the first line of the address, the rest is written as for any other letter. Under the first line containing the surname, write the house number or PO box, then on the next line write the city, the State / Province, the postal code and so on. If shipping is international, write the country name at the bottom on a separate fourth line. Write the sender's address (yours) in the same way in the upper left corner of the envelope. For more information, read the article How to write an address on an envelope.
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For example, in the example of the Jones family, the final address could be similar to the following:
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- The Jones Family (or "The Joneses")
- 21 Jump Street
- Anytown, CA, 98765
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- As a general rule, every time you write the address of a family on the envelope, the first line is the only one you need to change - the formula for the actual address should remain the same. In the methods described below, you must assume that the part of the address following the "last name" line should be written as usual.
Method 2 of 3: Use Specific Names for Family Members
Step 1. Start with the names and titles of the parents
When writing the address of an entire family on the envelope, in addition to using the name of the family to represent all the members, you can also mention some or all of them individually. This method is useful in letters such as wedding invitations, where it is important to communicate to whom the letter is specifically addressed. To start, on the first line of the address, write the names of the parents. In most cases, it is advisable to use the appropriate titles ("Mr. and Mrs." are always fine, while titles like "Dr.", "Judge" and so on are usually optional, except in formal circumstances or professional).
- For example, if we are inviting the Jones family to a housewarming party, we should start writing the parents' names on the first line: Mr. and Mrs. Jones.
- You can also use the traditional formula intended for married couples, where the husband's full name is for both partners: Mr. and Mrs. Tim Jones. However, it is not necessary.
- Finally, you can also write the full name of each spouse, without any title: Tim and Janet Jones. This is usually done when the relationship is familiar and informal, because using someone's name rather than preceding it with the title can seem rude if there is no confidence.
Step 2. Proceed with the names of the children
On the next line, list the names of children who are under 18 and living dependent on their parents. You can write the surname only once, at the end of the baby name list (for example, David, Chelsea, and Gabriela Richardson), or you can leave it out altogether (for example, David, Chelsea, and Gabriela). If you know the ages of the children, list them from oldest to smallest.
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For example, in the hypothesis of an invitation to a party, we should write the names of the children under the names of the parents in this way: Emma and Peter. This means that the first two lines of the address will appear like this:
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- Mr. and Mrs. Jones
- Emma and Peter
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Address an Envelope to a Family Step 6 Step 3. Alternatively, write the parents' names followed by "and Family"
In situations where you do not know the names of all the children in the family, it is permissible to make a collective reference to the children. In this case, on the second line where you normally name the children, write "and Family". You can also use "and Children" to better specify who you mean.
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In our example, we could replace the names of Emma and Peter with the expression "and Family" or "and Children", if we had forgotten their names. In this case, the first two lines of the address appear like this:
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- Mr. and Mrs. Jones
- and Children
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Address an Envelope to a Family Step 7 Step 4. Omit the names of the children if the letter is not intended for them
In the examples above it is assumed that the letter is intended for both parents and children. If not, name the recipients for the first line, then proceed to write the address immediately after, without using the second line to list the family members.
For example, if we wanted to invite only the parents of the Jones family to our party, we should use the standard Mr. and Mrs. Jones without naming any of their children.
Address an Envelope to a Family Step 8 Step 5. Send separate letters to children over 18
If your family is made up of children who are over 18 (or have reached adulthood which traditionally is considered to be in the recipient's community), send them a separate letter in addition to the one you sent to their parents. Receiving a personal letter is a sign that you have entered adulthood. While it is relatively unimportant, it could be perceived as slightly offensive, for example, being invited to a party via a letter addressed to parents.
Method 3 of 3: Use an Inner Envelope and an Outer Envelope
Address an Envelope to a Family Step 9 Step 1. Address the outer envelope to parents only
In some types of letters it is considered important to request a response from the recipient. In situations like these, a small, usually pre-addressed, reply envelope is included in the outer envelope. If you are sending such a letter, it is worth noting that the outer and inner envelopes are usually addressed slightly differently when the recipient is an entire family. To start, write the address on the outer envelope (the one containing the letter and the second envelope) using only the names of the parents or the head of the family.
As for the outer envelope, write the parents' names, as described in the previous section. For example, if you are inviting the entire Jones family to your wedding, you can only write the parents' names on the outer envelope: Mr. and Mrs. Jones, Mr. and Mrs. Tim Jones or Tim and Janet Jones.
Address an Envelope to a Family Step 10 Step 2. Specify all senders on the inner envelope
Regarding the inner envelope to be returned, the rules differ a little. If you request a response for every member of the family (for example, if you invite the whole family to your wedding), write the parents' names on the first line of the address and after the names of the children on the second line. If, however, you only ask for a response from the parents, you should only write their names on the first line of the address, then move on to the street address and so on.
- Note that the information on the inner envelope refers to the sender's address. Obviously, the main address that says where the letter should be sent from will be yours (or that of a competent agency, a registered office, a PO box, etc.), so that the response is sent to the right place.
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In the example of the wedding invitation, if we invite the whole family, the sender's address of the inner envelope should show the parents' names on the first line followed by the names of the children on the second. The first two lines of the sender's address of the inner envelope appear like this:
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- Mr. and Mrs. Jones
- Emma and Peter
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Address an Envelope to a Family Step 11 Step 3. Place a stamp in the reply envelope
Regardless of who in particular you request a response, it is always a sign of courtesy to pre-post the return envelope. Stamps don't cost much, so putting one in the reply envelope is more a sign of respect and attention than an actual financial contribution. However, it's usually best to avoid gaffes by making sure to put a postage stamp in the envelope.
As mentioned, separate letters must be sent to children who are over 18 (or who are considered independent adults under other social rules). In situations where you are sending a letter that includes a reply envelope, you will need to address and stamp each envelope by including the name of the adult child in the return address
Advice
Be sure to address the letter to the exact family.
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