What race is Thorin Oakenshield in The Hobbit?

Thorin Oakenshield is a Dwarf in The Hobbit.

He is Thorin II, a member of Durin’s Folk and the leader of the Company that travels with Bilbo Baggins to reclaim Erebor from Smaug. Thorin is a prince in exile and the heir to the title King under the Mountain, making the quest personal as well as political.

Tolkien’s Dwarves are a distinct people of Middle-earth, associated with underground kingdoms, mining, metalworking, craftsmanship, long lifespans, and fierce martial traditions. Thorin embodies several of these traits: he is proud, stubborn, skilled in leadership, and deeply attached to his family’s lost kingdom and treasure.

The main confusion comes from the film adaptations, which emphasize Thorin’s human-like political relationships and romance-free heroic drama without changing his race. Thorin is not a Man, Elf, or Hobbit; his companions include Dwarves such as Balin, Dwalin, Fili, Kili, and Bombur. His title “Oakenshield” comes from his use of an oak branch and shield in battle.