In J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit, Gollum is a Hobbit.
Gollum was originally named Sméagol and belonged to a Hobbit-like people living near the Gladden Fields. His life changed when he discovered the One Ring and killed his relative Déagol to obtain it. The Ring’s influence, together with his long isolation, transformed him physically and psychologically.
Gollum appears in The Hobbit as a mysterious creature dwelling beneath the Misty Mountains. He challenges Bilbo Baggins to a riddle game after Bilbo finds the Ring. Bilbo escapes using the Ring’s power, although he does not yet understand its full significance.
A common mistake is to classify Gollum as an Orc or a separate monster species. Tolkien’s later writings and The Lord of the Rings identify his origins as Hobbit-like, while showing how the Ring corrupted him. His two names reflect the divided character readers encounter.