Dates

The first Elves awoke some three ages (very roughly 4,300 years) before the first rising of the Sun¹

Origins

First awoke at Cuiviénen, the place called the Water of Awakening

Divisions

Many subdivisions, but primarily divided into Eldar, who began the Great Journey, and Avari, who did not

Meaning

From Old English ælf or related Old Norse alfr, meaning a 'spirit' or 'goblin'

Other names

Edhelrim, Edhil, Eldalië, Eldar, The Elder Children of Ilúvatar, The Elder Kindred, The Elder People, The Elder Race, Eledhrim, Elven-folk, Fair Folk, The Firstborn, People of the Stars, Quendi, White-fiends

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Updated 24 January 2026
Updates planned: 1

Elves

The Elder Children of Ilúvatar

Quendi
(All Elves)

Eldar
Elves of the
Great Journey

Avari
The Unwilling

Orcs?

Vanyar
Light Elves

Noldor
Deep-elves

Teleri
The Third Clan

Falmari
Teleri of Aman

Sindar
Grey-elves of
Beleriand

Nandor
Followers
of Lenwë

Laiquendi
Green-elves of
Ossiriand

Silvan Elves
Others who left
the Great Journey

Some of the more important divisions of the Elves

The first Elves awoke by Cuiviénen, the Water of Awakening in the far East of Middle-earth, long Ages before the first rising of the Sun or Moon. Unlike Men, the Elves were not subject to illness or infirmity, and at the time of the Lord of the Rings, there were still at least two Elves in Aman who had awoken by Cuiviénen in the first days: Ingwë, Lord of the Vanyar, and Olwë, brother of King Elu Thingol.

Divisions and Subdivisions of the Elves

The Elves are divided and subdivided to numerous different groups, most of which emerged historically from their original clans at Cuiviénen and their part in - or rejection of - the Great Journey into the West. This table summarises the most important divisions of the race of Elves.

Amanyar Elves of Aman	Those of the Eldar who completed the journey across the Great Sea and came to Aman, the Blessed Realm in the West. The term Amanyar is almost synonymous with Calaquendi, those who had seen the Light of the Two Trees. The single exceptional case is Elwë (later called Thingol), who was counted as one of the Calaquendi but ultimately remained in Middle-earth and was not therefore one of the Amanyar.
Avari The Unwilling	When the Eldar set out on the Great Journey from Cuiviénen, many of the Elves refused the summons of the Valar. These people were the Avari or Unwilling, who remained on the shores of the Water of Awakening, though at least some of these later wandered across Middle-earth.
Calaquendi Elves of the Light	Not all of those who set out on the Great Journey completed it, but the Vanyar, the Noldor and a part of the Teleri did eventually cross the Great Sea and reach the West while the Two Trees of Valinor still shone. These people were the Calaquendi, and also included in this number was Elwë, later called Thingol, who had travelled to Valinor as an ambassador but ultimately remained in Middle-earth.
Eldar People of the Stars	Originally a name for all the Elves, given to them by the Vala Oromë when he found them dwelling under starlight by the Water of Awakening. Oromë led many of the Elves into the West, and at this point the meaning of Eldar shifted to include only those who chose to follow him on the Great Journey: specifically, the Vanyar, the Noldor and the Teleri. By this later usage, the term Eldar is therefore the direct opposite of Avari, which describes those who remained behind.
Falmari Teleri of Aman	When the time came for the Teleri to follow the Vanyar and Noldor across the Great Sea, many chose to remain behind in Beleriand, but many others followed one of their two leaders, Olwë, into the West. These Teleri of the West settled in time along the shores of Aman, and became known as the Falmari, the 'people of the waves' most commonly called simply Sea-elves.
Laiquendi Green-elves of Ossiriand	A branch of the Nandor who left their people in the Vales of Anduin and followed one named Denethor westward across the Misty Mountains and the Blue. They eventually settled in Ossiriand, the Land of Seven Rivers eastward of Gelion. This people allied themselves with Thingol of Doriath, but in the wars that followed Melkor's return to Middle-earth they suffered terrible losses. After that time they became a secretive and hidden people, rarely involving themselves in the affairs of outsiders.
Moriquendi Dark Elves	A name describing all those Elves who did not travel to Valinor to see the Light of the Trees; that is, all Elves who were not counted among the Calaquendi or Elves of the Light. The Moriquendi included the Avari, who refused the summons of Oromë at Cuiviénen, but also those of the Eldar who fell away from the Great Journey into the West. Thus the Dark Elves also included the Sindar, the Nandor and the Silvan Elves within their number.
Nandor	A branch of the Teleri, who set out from Cuiviénen to make the Great Journey across Middle-earth, but abandoned it before crossing the Misty Mountains. Fearing to cross the range, they followed a leader named Lenwë, and settled in the woodlands on the banks of the Great River. A group of these people would later succeed in reaching Beleriand to become the Laiquendi or Green-elves, while from those Nandor who remained in the eastern forests emerged the Silvan Elves of Lórien and Mirkwood in later ages.
Noldor Deep Elves	One of the Three Kindreds who made the Great Journey to Valinor, noted for their fascination with deep lore and craft. Fëanor, maker of the Silmarils, belonged to this people. When those Jewels were stolen by Morgoth, Fëanor led many of the Noldor back from the Blessed Realm into Middle-earth in pursuit of the Dark Lord. The histories of the later First Age revolve, in great part, around the subsequent Wars of the Noldor and their allies against the forces of Morgoth.
Quendi All Elves	When the first Elves awoke in Middle-earth, they found themselves to be the only beings who were capable of speech, and so they named themselves Quendi, 'those that speak with voices'. This name is retained, meaning simply 'Elves', in several of the names for branches of the Elves described above (Calaquendi, 'Elves of the Light', Laiquendi 'Green-elves' and Moriquendi, 'Dark Elves').
Silvan Elves Tawarwaith	Those of the Nandor who had broken from the Great Journey settled in lands southward down the Great River. Some later departed to find their way to Beleriand, but those that remained dwelt among the woodlands on either side of the River. These Silvan Elves would eventually be separated into two peoples by the tides of history, giving rise to the Galadhrim of Lórien on the western banks of Anduin, and the Wood-elves who dwelt in the far northeast of Mirkwood.
Sindar Grey-elves	A branch of the Teleri who reached Beleriand, but delayed making the journey across the Sea, so that the Lonely Isle departed with their kin and left them in Middle-earth. These were the followers of Elwë, later King Elu Thingol of Doriath, who ruled Beleriand from the forests at its heart. Kin to these people were the Falathrim, also Teleri who remained in Beleriand, who dwelt on the coasts and took Círdan for their lord.
Tareldar High Elves	A general name for those of the Eldar who completed the Great Journey and dwelt in Valinor. This expression was most commonly used in Middle-earth, where the High Elves were the Noldor, who had returned there from the Blessed Realm, as opposed to those Elves who had never departed across the Great Sea.
Teleri The Third Clan	The largest of the three clans that set out from Cuiviénen to make the Great Journey, the Teleri were originally led by two brothers, Elwë and Olwë. They were the slowest on the march across Middle-earth, and some of them wandered away from the journey and remained in Middle-earth (notable among these were the Nandor, and later the Sindar or Grey-elves of Beleriand). Nonetheless, many of the Teleri did make the crossing of the Great Sea, and gave rise to the Falmari, the Sea-elves of Valinor.
Úmanyar	A broad category of Elves signifying those that were not of Aman; that is, those Elves who never set out on the Great Journey, or never completed it. Úmanyar is therefore the opposite term to Amanyar, the Elves who came to Aman. The Úmanyar included all the Avari, and also those of the Eldar who never reached Blessed Realm, among them the Nandor and the Sindar.
Vanyar Light-elves	The followers of Ingwë, who were foremost on the Great Journey into the West. A small clan compared to the others of the Eldar, the Vanyar were the most dedicated to the Valar, and in later years dwelt on the slopes of Taniquetil beneath the halls of Manwë and Varda.

Origins and Early History

In the far eastern land of Cuiviénen, on the shores of the Inland Sea of Helcar and beneath the mountains of the Orocarni, the Elves awoke under the starlight of the Years of the Trees. The Valar at first knew nothing of their coming, but they were soon discovered by the spies of Melkor, who sent his creatures to watch them and harass them.

How long they existed in this perilous and unprotected state is not known, but the legends of those times, of the Hunter and of a dark Rider, were preserved in Valinor by the Eldar that came there. It is known that many of the ancient Elves were captured by Melkor and imprisoned in Utumno - it is generally thought that these hapless beings were the origins of the race of Orcs.

The Valar discovered that the Elves had awoken when Oromë, hunting in the lands of Middle-earth, heard their singing voices. He named them Eldar, the People of the Stars, but the Elves' own name for their kind was Quendi, those who speak with voices. Because of the horrors of Melkor, many of the Elves were at first suspicious of the Vala, but (after briefly returning to Valinor to tell the other Valar of his discovery) he remained with them and protected them for a time.

Concerned for the safety of the Elves in Middle-earth, which was at that time under the control of Melkor, the Valar left Valinor and made war against the Dark Lord: this was the Battle of the Powers, which saw Melkor taken as captive back to Valinor.

The Great Journey

After the defeat of Melkor, the Valar debated the fate of the Elves - whether they should be left to dwell in Middle-earth, or brought to Valinor to be kept under the direct protection of the Valar. It was decided to bring them to the land of the Valar, and Oromë was sent back to Cuiviénen to summon them.

When he returned, though, he found that the Elves feared the Valar, and were reluctant to make the journey. Three ambassadors were chosen, Ingwë, Finwë and Elwë, to travel to Aman with Oromë, and help the Elves decide on their course. These three were filled with awe by what they saw there, and by the Light of the Two Trees, and counselled their people to follow the summons.

The followers of Ingwë, and most of the peoples of Finwë and Elwë agreed, and they set out on the Great Journey westwards across the wide lands of Middle-earth. These were the peoples later known as the Three Kindreds: the Vanyar, the Noldor and the Teleri. Not all the Elves obeyed the summons; those who refused are known as Avari, the Unwilling.²

Oromë led the peoples of the Three Kindreds out of the East of Middle-earth. The Vanyar were the least numerous, and the most eager to reach Aman, and they came first on the Journey, followed by the Noldor of Finwë.

The Teleri, led by Elwë and his brother Olwë, were the greatest host, and many were uncertain and doubtful. Not a few of these people left the Journey and remained in Middle-earth.³ The most notable of those who turned from the Journey were the Nandor, who were led away down the Vales of Anduin by Lenwë.

At last, the Vanyar and the Noldor reached the shores of the Great Sea, in the regions between the Bay of Balar and the Firth of Drengist (regions later known, at least for the most part, as the Falas). Ulmo brought a great island to the shores, and on it transported the first two hosts of the Elves to Aman.

The Teleri were the hindcomers, though, and arrived in Beleriand too late to embark on Ulmo's island. They dwelt for a while on the banks of the Gelion in eastern Beleriand, but later spread to the shores. In this time, two events of historical importance occurred - their lord Elwë was lost for a time in Nan Elmoth, and they encountered Ossë, a Maia of the Sea.

Many of the Teleri wished to remain in Beleriand, some to seek for their lost lord, and others because of desires stirred in their hearts by Ossë. When the time came for Ulmo to return to Beleriand to take the Teleri to Valinor, then, many of them chose to remain behind. These people became known in after years as the Sindar, the Grey-elves, and those who dwelt by the shores under the lordship of Círdan became known as the Falathrim.

Melkor Chained: Three Ages of Bliss

Now came three ages of glory and bliss for the Elves, both east and west of the Great Sea. In Valinor, the Vanyar and the Noldor, and those of the Teleri who completed the Journey, dwelt with the Valar and learned from them. They dwelt in the jewelled city of Tirion in the Pass of Light, and at the Swanhaven of Alqualondë, and beneath the tower of Avallónë on the Lonely Isle of Tol Eressëa. While the Two Trees still gave light to the realm of the Valar, three ages passed, and the Elves of Valinor became the wisest and noblest of all the Children of Ilúvatar.

Meanwhile, in Beleriand, the Sindar dwelt beneath starlight. While most of Middle-earth still slept, awaiting the coming of the Sun and Moon, Melian the Maia brought life to the forests and plains of Beleriand under Thingol's rule, and Oromë would still ride at times across the darkling lands.

The Nature of the Elves

Elves and Men are both the Children of Ilúvatar, and so have much in common, but there are also great differences between the two peoples. Of these, the most significant is that Elves are 'immortal', at least while the world lasts; they do not suffer ageing⁴ or disease, and if they are slain or wither with grief, they are reincarnated in the Halls of Mandos in Valinor.

Although, unlike Men, the Elves must remain in the world until its ending, they are not bound to Middle-earth. They may if they wish take the straight road, and sail into the Uttermost West, a road that is barred to mortals.

Elves also have much clearer sight and perception than Men; they are naturally aware of many things that are hidden from the Younger Children, but these gifts are not without limit.

Religion

The Elves never had any distinct 'religion' in the sense that Men would understand the word; indeed, the High Elves had travelled to Valinor and lived with the Valar (or 'gods') themselves for many ages before Men came into the world.

Of all the Valar, they most revered Varda Elentári, the spouse of Manwë, and Lady of the Stars. In Middle-earth, they called her Elbereth, 'star-queen', and sang to her across the wide ocean Belegaer. Great respect was also given to Ulmo, especially during the First Age when he aided the Elves against Morgoth.

Notes

1	According to the Annals of Aman (in volume X of The History of Middle-earth), the Elves awoke 1,050 Valian Years after the Two Trees of Valinor first shone. This gives a period of 4,312 (solar) years before the first rising of the Sun, though converting Valian Years to solar years raises certain difficulties, and this figure should be considered approximate.
2	This is the point where the term Eldar acquires its special meaning. Before the beginning of the Great Journey, it was applied to all Elves. After the Three Kindreds set out, it came to be used only for Elves belonging to these three peoples.
3	These Elves who turned aside from the Journey founded peoples and lands of their own. The Wood-elves of Mirkwood and the Galadhrim of Lórien were descended from them, for example.
4	More correctly, Elves don't suffer ageing in the same way as Men. In fact they do age, as Tolkien makes clear in his Letters. There, he says, 'The Elves were sufficiently longeval to be called by Man 'immortal'. But they were not unageing or unwearying' (The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien, No. 245, dated 1963).