When was J.R.R. Tolkien born?

J.R.R. Tolkien was born on 3 January 1892. His birthplace was Bloemfontein, in the Orange Free State, a British-controlled territory in southern Africa that later became part of South Africa.

Tolkien’s parents were Arthur Reuel Tolkien, a bank manager, and Mabel Tolkien. The family returned to England after Arthur’s death in 1896, and Tolkien grew up largely in the Birmingham area. His childhood experiences in the English countryside later influenced some of his feelings about landscape, trees, and industrial change.

Tolkien’s birth date is sometimes confused with his death date. He died on 2 September 1973, aged 81, in Bournemouth, England. He is also often identified by his initials rather than his full name, John Ronald Reuel Tolkien. His middle name Reuel came from a family tradition and was part of his legal name.