Our last name is Wells. When I sign Christmas cards The Wells Family should I use an apostophe, Well's?

Answer 1

Absolutely not. You only use the apostrophe for a name when you need a POSSESSIVE form. That's not the case here. The possessive form would actually follow the pattern "the Wellses' car". But "the Wellses' family" does not make any sense (since it would mean "the family owned by the Wellses" !)

Also note that since the final s is part of the name itself you should NEVER separate that s from the rest of the name with an apostrophe.

Compare: "the Smith family" -- no s, no apostrophe.
The notion is "the family whose (sur)name is 'Smith'"

To clarify on the PROPER use of an apostrophe with your last name -- only with a possessive form -- here's what you do:

a) For the possessive form for ONE individual --add an "apostrophe + s" as you should almost always do for singular forms. "This is Tom Wells's book" (Again, add apostrophe + s EVEN after a final s that is part of the name itself, e.g., James's. The only exceptions are names that would have so many s's they are difficult to pronounce -- so you drop the s for the following: Moses', Jesus', Isis'. )

b) For the PLURAL of a name - almost always you will add -s, OR -es if the the word already ends in an s, or its close relative z -- in other words, if you want to specifically indicate that there is more that one you say "the Smiths" or "the Wellses".

For the POSSESSIVE of this plural form simply add an apostrophe -- "the Smiths' house", "the Wellses' car"

Answer 2

No apostrophe needed, unless you want your card to read "Love, the wells is family"

Answer 3

No. It is fine to eliminate all apostrophes.
For the Wells' cars, you'd do it like this.
C. :)!!

Answer 4

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO....none is needed.