Peredhil

Peredhil is a Sindarin term meaning half-elven, used in J. R. R. Tolkien’s legendarium to denote individuals with both elven and human ancestry. The most prominent Peredhil are Elros and Elrond, the sons of Eärendil the Mariner and Elwing. Eärendil himself is the child of Tuor (a Man) and Idril (an Elf), making the lineage of Elros and Elrond a direct blend of the two lineages.

At the end of the First Age / during the early Second Age, the Valar granted the Peredhil a choice of fate. Elros chose to be counted among Men and founded Númenor, becoming its first king. Elrond chose to be counted among the Elves and established Rivendell (Imladris) as a haven for Elvish and mixed-blood lore and wisdom. Their decisions created enduring bridges between Elves and Men: the Númenórean realm and the Elven havens remained connected through their descendants, most notably the line that led to the kingdoms of Arnor and Gondor and the tale of Aragorn in the late eras.

The Peredhil are not a separate race but a genealogical category describing those with mixed Elven and human heritage. They often possess traits from both peoples—long lifespans and keen insight from the Elves, alongside human resilience and adaptability—though the primary significance lies in their role as mediators and custodians of a shared history between Elves and Men. Their story underlines the distinct destinies of Elves and Men in Tolkien’s mythos and the ways in which one lineage helped shape much of Middle-earth’s later history.