Hobbits are the fictional people described by J.R.R. Tolkien as smaller relatives of humans in The Lord of the Rings.
Tolkien presents Hobbits as a distinct people of Middle-earth who are short, peace-loving, practical, and fond of food, comfort, gardens, and quiet lives. They are related to Men but have their own customs, communities, family histories, and traditions. The narrative of The Lord of the Rings begins in the Shire, the best-known Hobbit homeland.
Bilbo Baggins and Frodo Baggins are the most prominent Hobbits in Tolkien’s major novels. Samwise Gamgee, Merry Brandybuck, and Pippin Took also play important roles in the quest to destroy the One Ring.
Hobbits are sometimes treated as interchangeable with Dwarves because both peoples are short in stature. Tolkien keeps them distinct: Dwarves are renowned for mining and craftsmanship, while Hobbits are associated with the Shire and domestic rural life.