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Elves By the Numbers

© Michael Martinez

Every now and then someone will ask how many Elves there actually were at some point in time. There is no correct answer because J.R.R. Tolkien didn't provide us with census figures. All we can do is guess and play number games. It is possible to come up with some reasonable estimates, although such estimates can vary greatly. Some people believe there must never have been more than, say, a couple hundred thousand Elves at any time. I'm of the opinion that they must have numbered in the millions at the height of their civilizations. All discussions of Elvish populations inevitably become bogged down in the weightier issues of what constitutes "canon" and how to interpret some of the not-so-precise passages. And then one must also choose whether to rely upon texts which may not be consistent with each other even if they all seem to be "canonical". After all, the history of the Elves passed through many phases, and is bound up with linguistic decisions as often as not. The starting point for any guestimations lies in the essay "Quendi and Eldar", published by Christopher Tolkien in The War of the Jewels. This material, written late in his life by J.R.R. Tolkien, is mostly consistent with The Lord of the Rings and sort of consistent with the published Silmarillion. "Mostly" and "sort of", however, open the door to all sorts of disputes and debates. But the fact is, if you want to figure out how many Elves there could have been at any point in their history, you either begin with "Quendi and Eldar" or not at all. So, we begin with "Quendi and Eldar" and see what works best with it. The essay stipulates that there were originally 144 Elves (72 male and 72 female). They were divided into 14 Minyar (firsts), 56 Tatyar (seconds), and 74 Nelyar (thirds). The three groups were named for the first three Elves to awaken: Imin (one), Tata (two), and Enel (three). "Quendi and Eldar" is accompanied by a unique story, a sort of Elven fairy-tale which tells how the first Elves awoke. Some people through the years have dismissed the story as a reliable source because it is presented in the form of a children's story, as a "just so" kind of tale. Nonetheless, because it confirms or agrees with things written in "Quendi and Eldar" I choose to accept the story as essentially true, if somewhat pasteurized. That is, it is a genuine record of Elvish history, just as a third-grade social studies book may be regarded as a genuine record of our history despite its simplifications of many historical events.

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