Elves of the High Kindred

The kindred of the Elves referred to as the 'High Kindred' is not defined in detail, and so it is difficult to say exactly which people of the Elves is intended. We take it here as a broad term referring to all of the Eldar, but the use of the singular 'Kindred' might imply that the term relates to a subset of this people (who were collectively known as the 'Three Kindreds').

As a plausible alternative, the title of 'High Kindred' might be seen as referring specifically to the Noldor, and as one of the Three Kindreds this is a quite reasonable alternative reading. This idea is slightly complicated, however, by the fact that the Elves of the High Kindred are particularly associated with the Grey Havens. While there were surely Noldor dwelling there, the haven of Mithlond is more strongly linked with the Grey-elves, and notably their Master Círdan, who was descended from the Teleri rather than the Noldor. Further, of the Three Kindreds of the Eldar, the 'High Kindred' would more usually have been seen as the Vanyar, rather than the Noldor, and there were no Vanyar in Middle-earth.