According to J.R.R. Tolkien’s legendarium, on what date was Bilbo Baggins born?

Bilbo Baggins was born on 22 September according to J.R.R. Tolkien’s legendarium.

The date is also the birthday of Frodo Baggins, who was born on 22 September 2968 of the Third Age. Bilbo was born in 2890 of the Third Age, making him much older than Frodo. Their shared birthday helps explain the importance of 22 September in Hobbit culture and in the narrative.

Bilbo’s birthday party is a major event at the beginning of The Lord of the Rings. He celebrates his 111th birthday at Hobbiton and then leaves the Shire, while Frodo celebrates his 33rd birthday. The two ages add up to 144, a detail reflected in the party’s description.

The date is sometimes mistaken for Tolkien’s own birthday, which was 3 January 1892. Tolkien used several calendar systems and dating conventions in his fiction, so the year 2890 belongs to the chronology of the Third Age rather than to the modern calendar.