Frodo Baggins is a hobbit of the Shire and the ring-bearer - the one chosen to carry the One Ring to Mount Doom in Mordor and destroy it. Adopted by his elder cousin Bilbo Baggins after being orphaned as a child, Frodo inherits both Bag End and the mysterious ring Bilbo found on his adventure with the dwarves. When the wizard Gandalf reveals the ring's true nature - that it is the One Ring forged by the Dark Lord Sauron to dominate all of Middle-earth - Frodo volunteers to carry it to the only place it can be destroyed. Quiet, thoughtful, and deeply compassionate, Frodo is not a warrior or a wizard but an ordinary person bearing an extraordinary burden. The Ring's corruption wears on him throughout the journey, and his struggle to resist its power while pressing forward is the emotional centre of The Lord of the Rings.

Samwise Gamgee - Sam - is Frodo's gardener, closest friend, and the most steadfast companion in all of Middle-earth. Recruited into the quest after being caught eavesdropping on Gandalf's conversation about the Ring, Sam accompanies Frodo from the Shire to Mordor and ultimately proves to be the indispensable heart of the mission. Where Frodo falters under the Ring's weight, Sam endures. Where the quest seems hopeless, Sam finds reason to carry on. Tolkien himself described Sam as the "chief hero" of The Lord of the Rings - an ordinary hobbit whose loyalty, courage, and love for his friend accomplish what great warriors and wise lords cannot. Sam's devotion to Frodo, his homesickness for the Shire, and his simple decency make him one of the most beloved characters in fiction.

Meriadoc Brandybuck - Merry - is one of Frodo's closest friends and a member of the Fellowship. Intelligent, practical, and braver than he knows, Merry grows from a carefree young hobbit into a warrior who plays a pivotal role in the War of the Ring. Separated from the Fellowship after the breaking at Amon Hen, Merry is taken in by the Riders of Rohan and rides to battle at the Pelennor Fields, where he helps Éowyn defeat the Witch-king of Angmar - a feat no Man could accomplish. Merry's journey is one of finding courage and purpose far beyond the borders of the Shire.

Peregrin Took - Pippin - is the youngest member of the Fellowship, initially joining the quest out of loyalty to Frodo rather than any real understanding of its stakes. Curious, impulsive, and occasionally foolish, Pippin's missteps (looking into the palantír, alerting the goblins in Moria) drive some of the story's most tense moments. But Pippin grows enormously over the course of the trilogy - swearing service to Denethor in Gondor, fighting at the Black Gate, and ultimately returning to the Shire as one of its most capable defenders. His arc, like Merry's, is about discovering that small people can shape great events.

Old Sam's father, called the Gaffer, a Hobbiton gardener famous for his pipe-weed and his opinions about Bilbo's queer ways.

Eldest daughter of Sam and Rose Gamgee, born in the spring after the King's return. Named for the gold-yellow elanor of Lothlórien.

Lotho's elderly mother, a formidable old hobbit woman famous for her sharp tongue and her umbrella. She stands up to Sharkey's ruffians when they come to Bag End and is dragged off to the Lockholes for her defiance, winning the admiration of the Shire-folk for her courage. She is freed after the Battle of Bywater but is crushed by the news of Lotho's murder.

Lobelia's son, called Pimple by his neighbours. Sells the Shire to Sharkey's Men piece by piece and is murdered off-stage by Wormtongue.

Hobbit conspirator and Crickhollow stand-in for Frodo. Raises the alarm against the Black Riders when they break the door at Crickhollow.

Stout-hearted hobbit farmer of the Marish whose dogs once terrified young Frodo. Drives the company to the Bucklebury Ferry under cover of mushrooms and song.

Farmer Maggot's wife, hostess of the kitchen at Bamfurlong. Sends the travellers off with a basket of mushrooms.

Hobbiton miller's son who scoffs at elves and dragons at the Green Dragon. The Shire's small-minded conformist counterpoint to Sam.

The daughter of Farmer Cotton of Bywater, a practical and spirited young hobbit woman. She waits faithfully for Sam throughout his journey, gently teasing him for not hurrying home. She marries Sam in the spring of 1420 and they settle at Bag End, where their first child, Elanor, is born.

Farmer Cotton of Bywater, father of Rosie. Leads the Shire-hobbits in arms during the Scouring and is later named deputy Mayor.

Lily Cotton, wife of Farmer Cotton and mother of Rosie. Keeps house at the Cotton farm while the Bywater rebellion rises.

Youngest of the Cotton brothers, posted at the farm to guard his mother and Rosie during the rebellion.

Eldest son of Farmer Cotton, fights beside his father in the Battle of Bywater.

Shire-shirriff of Hobbiton, called Cock-robin by his old friend Sam Gamgee. Resigns the shirriff's feather when the rebellion rises.

Bucklander posted at the Brandywine Bridge gate when the hobbits return to a closed Shire.

Mayor of the Shire, nicknamed Flourdumpling. Imprisoned by Sharkey's Men in the Lockholes and restored when the rebellion succeeds.