J.R.R. Tolkien described Hobbits as the Free Peoples’ smallest kindred.
Hobbits are a fictional people created by J.R.R. Tolkien and central to The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. They are generally shorter than Men, fond of food and comfort, and associated with rural communities such as the Shire. Their small size does not prevent them from influencing the history of Middle-earth: Bilbo discovers the One Ring, and Frodo carries it toward its destruction.
Tolkien’s prologue to The Lord of the Rings describes Hobbits as a distinct people related to Men, though their exact origins and classification are presented through fictional historical traditions. The term “halfling” is often used by other peoples, but it is not the same as saying Hobbits are simply half-human.
Hobbits are also called Periannath in Sindarin and Halflings in the Common Speech. Their modest appearance and love of ordinary life deliberately contrast with the epic scale of the events surrounding them.