J.R.R. Tolkien describes hobbits as the fictional people living in the Shire.
The Shire is a settled region of northwestern Middle-earth, inhabited chiefly by hobbits. It is the homeland of Bilbo Baggins and Frodo Baggins, and its quiet farms, villages, and lanes provide the peaceful starting point for both The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.
Tolkien presents hobbits as small, human-like people known for domestic comforts, gardening, regular meals, and a reluctance to seek adventure. Their ordinary appearance contrasts with the extraordinary historical importance of Bilbo and Frodo.
Readers sometimes confuse the Shire’s inhabitants with other peoples who appear nearby or later in the stories. Elves, dwarves, and Ents are distinct peoples of Middle-earth, while hobbits are especially associated with the Shire and its local communities.