Let me get right into it, folks. Genealogy is a field humans have always had an interest in. But what about elves? Do they have an interest in their kin? Do immortals need to know who their birth parents, grandparents, and so forth were?

Where does their genealogy stand in comparison to the dwarves or hobbits? It gets even more interesting when you add orcs into the equation. 

Yes, you read that right. Do elves have an interest in their ancestors? If you really want to know, then click here [1].

To be frank, imaginary creatures might not have an interest in elven genealogy (or their own for that matter). But humans do. Have an interest in elvish genealogy. Hence the website. A quick web search will also lead you to family trees for the various families in the Potterverse, Harry Potter's world [2]. 

Is it such a strange things to see fans of those books and movies do the research and compile family trees? Author Bennett Coles has produced an article providing insights into the Star Wars Universe. That's available here [3].

Again I ask, is this a strange occurrence? No. Not really. From the earliest times we've seen the myths of various locales and regions creating intricate family trees, and from those trees we extract the important stories of the people. At the same time, world religions from across the globe also delve into the study of kinship. The Gospel of St. Matthew, the first book of the New Testament, opens its first chapter with the lineage of Jesus Christ. 

On Family Search and various other genealogical platforms we can trace the ancestors of the U.S. Presidents and other important political families of world nations. They even have functions where you can learn which famous people are your relations. 

But what does it all matter? Why bring it all up today in a short blog post? 

Think about it. All of humankind's most important stories (including fiction and myth and religious systems) are impacted by the study of kin and generations. All of them. In a world that's increasingly tense and where dangers abound, we can find stories of family, whether they're our own or others, that can teach us how closely we're all connected. 

In other words, genealogy can help us learn to love, to forgive, to have compassion on others. It can heal us of past trauma, and it can spark within us a desire to help one another. 

I don't have time to make all the arguments about how important genealogy is today, but hopefully, a few short words showing how collective stories about family are of great import to our society will bring you a smile. And just maybe it will inspire you to look into your own families. 

If not--maybe you need to understand the history of Middle-Earth a little bit better. I mean, did Bilbo sign any deeds or land records pertaining to Bag End? If so, I'm disappointed that his will didn't contain a clause barring Frodo from selling the place to Lobelia Sackville-Baggins. I mean, some cousin-in-laws just don't deserve the good stuff. Let's be real. Is a cousin-in-law even technically family?

Then again, Frodo was invited to the Grey Havens with Elrond and Galadriel, two elves who had very distinguished genealogies. 

1. Johansson, Emil. “The Lord of the Rings Family Tree Project,” n.d. http://lotrproject.com/.

2. Wiki, Contributors to Harry Potter. “Potter Family.” Harry Potter Wiki, n.d. https://harrypotter.fandom.com/wiki/Potter_family.

3. Coles, Bennett, and Bennett Coles. “How to Decipher the Star Wars Family Tree - Bennett R. Coles.” Bennett R. Coles - (blog), May 1, 2024. https://bennettrcoles.com/star-wars-family-tree/#:~:text=Leia%20Organa%20%E2%80%93%20By%20birth%20Leia,with%20the%20help%20of%20Rey.