When a persons last name ends in z and you need to show possession what do you do?

When a person’s last name ends with “z” and you want to show possession (meaning something belongs to them), you usually add an apostrophe and then an “s” after the name, just like you would with most other names. For example, if the person’s name is "Lopez," and you want to talk about their car, you would say "Lopez’s car."

So, even though “z” is at the end of the name, you still add 's to show possession:

Lopez’s house

Gonzalez’s book

However, some people prefer just adding an apostrophe (Lopez’) instead of ’s. But usually, adding 's is correct and makes it easier to read.In general, most English style guides, like those used in schools, recommend adding 's after a name ending in "z" to show possession. So, Lopez’s car and Gonzalez’s book are correct in these cases.

However, certain styles, like AP (Associated Press) style, suggest adding only an apostrophe without the "s" for names ending in "s" or "z" to avoid extra "s" sounds. So, according to AP style, Lopez’ car would also be correct.