J.R.R. Tolkien describes Hobbits as the fictional people living in Hobbiton and other parts of the Shire.
Hobbits are small, peace-loving inhabitants of Middle-earth who generally value comfort, food, gardens, family, and orderly domestic life. Hobbiton is one of the best-known settlements in the Shire, and it is home to Bilbo Baggins and Frodo Baggins. Samwise Gamgee also comes from the Shire and becomes Frodo’s companion.
Tolkien presents hobbits as culturally distinct from Men, Elves, Dwarves, and other peoples. Their small size and ordinary habits contrast with the immense historical events surrounding the One Ring. This contrast is central to The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings: characters who seem unimportant can carry responsibilities that affect all Middle-earth.
Hobbits are sometimes casually called “halflings,” but that is a broader term used by other peoples. “Hobbit” is the specific name of Tolkien’s invented people.