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The Bagginses were one of the most respectable of Hobbit families "not only because most of them were rich, but also because they never had any adventures or did anything unexpected: you could tell what a Baggins would say on any question without the bother of asking him." Despite this fact, the Baggins family went on to produce the adventurous Bilbo and Frodo Baggins. Perhaps it was due to the Took and Brandybuck influence on the family. The Baggins family was associated with Hobbiton and had lived at The Hill for time immemorial. Bag End was built by Bungo Baggins, Bilbo's father: "Bungo, that was Bilbo's father, built the most luxurious hobbit-hole for her [Belladonna] (and partly with her money) that was to be found either under The Hill or over The Hill or across The Water, and there they remained to the end of their days."

The Boffins were associated with Yale in drafts of a Boffin genealogical chart. An early map shows that Boffin territory lay north-west of the Woody End (which was Bolger territory in another draft). Another map shows them north of Hobbiton Hill in the village of Northope, which was a mile or two from the Hill. Northope was later renamed Overhill and remained Overhill in Lord of the Rings. An early Boffin chart indicates that Basso Boffin (born 1169) was said to have "gone to Sea" in 1195 and that his brother Briffo Boffin (born 1170) went to Bree in 1210. Bosco Boffin, the dutiful older brother, stayed and became the ancestor of Hugo Boffin and Fredegar Bolger. Hugo Boffin married Donnamira Took (Bilbo's aunt). Hugo and Donnamira's great-grandson was Folco Boffin, a friend of Frodo Baggins. Bosco Boffin, the dutiful son, also had a younger sister, Berylla Boffin, who went on to marry Balbo Baggins. Berylla and Balbo were the ancestors of Bilbo Baggins and Frodo Baggins.

The Bolgers were associated with Budgeford, at least by the time of Fredegar and Estella Bolger. In Lord of the Rings, the Bolgers are said to come 'from Budgeford in Bridgefields'. In earlier drafts they were called the Bolgers of Woodhall. An early map shows them associated with the land north of the Woody End and south of the East Road, that is, west of the Brandywine Bridge. In another version, the Bolgers were north of Hobbiton. The Bolgers married many prominent families and their names are found in the geneaologies the Bagginses (Bilbo's Aunt Belba married Rudigar Bolger and Drogo Baggins' mother Ruby was a Bolger), Tooks (Fredegar and Estella Bolger were the descendants of Hildibrand Took, the older brother of Belladonna Took), the Brandybucks (Gorbadoc Brandybuck's mother was Adaldrida Bolger). etc. Fredegar Bolger was a friend of Frodo Baggins and Estella Bolger married Meriadoc Brandybuck.

The Bracegirdles are represented in Lord of the Rings by Lobelia Sackville-Baggins, who was born a Bracegirdle of Hardbottle. According to a draft of a Boffin genealogical chart she was the daughter of Titus Bracegirdle and Hilda Boffin. Hugo Bracegirdle (Lobelia's nephew) received a book-case from Bilbo Baggins to house the borrowed books he never returned.

The Brandybucks were originally called the Oldbucks and were the first Thains. The first Thain was Bucca of the Marish. He became the Thain in SR 379 (TA 1979). When the Oldbucks left the Shire in SR 740 and settled the Buckland (their new folkland), the Thainship passed to the Tooks. About this time they became known as the Brandybucks, presumably because they were the Oldbucks on the other side of the Brandywine. The building of Brandy Hall began around 740. The Brandybucks were held with some suspicion by some of the Shire families since the Brandybucks had left the Shire and settled the Buckland. They also had a pronouced Fallohidish strain. The Fallohides were more adventurous and bolder than other hobbits and historically were more friendly with the Elves.

The Burrows family was also well respected. Milo Burrows married Peony Baggins. Peony Baggins was the granddaughter of Bungo Baggins' (Bilbo Baggins' father's) first cousin, Polo Baggins. Milo and Peony's children were Mosco, Moro, Myrtle, and Minto. Milo Burrows was the grandson of Bilbo's Aunt Mirabella Took. Milo Burrows was famous for never answering Bilbo Baggins' letters. Milo Burrows was also a close relation to Frodo Baggins, being the son of Asphodel Brandybuck, the elder sister of Primula Brandybuck. Milo and Frodo were thus first cousins.

The Chubbs were another important family. Adamanta Chubb married Gerontius, the Old Took. Chica Chubb married Bingo Baggins, the youngest son of Mungo Baggins, who was the head of the Baggins family. The son of Chica Chubb and Bingo Baggins was Falco Chubb-Baggins.

The Grubbs were also considered to be an important family. The Grubbs at Bilbo Baggins' Farwell Party were relations of his grandmother, Laura Grubb, the wife of Mungo Baggins and the mother of Bungo Baggins.

The Hornblowers are represented by Tobold Hornblower of Longbottom in the Southfarthing. He was the first to grow true pipe-weed during the days of Isengrim the Second (c1070). He was not a traveller but he did visit Bree in his youth. The Bree-hobbits claim that they were the first smokers of pipe-weed and that the "Colonists" (the hobbits of the Shire) got pipe-weed from them. Old Toby (Tobold Hornblower) never told anyone how he came by the pipe-weed.

The Proudfoot family certainly considered themselves to be a respectable and important family. Bodo Proudfoot married Bilbo's Aunt Linda Baggins. Bodo and Linda's son was Odo Proudfoot (died 1405). Odo Proudfoot's son was Olo Proudfoot (1346 - 1435). Olo Proudfoot had a son, Sancho Proudfoot, born in 1390. Sancho began an excavation in the larger pantry at Bag End after the Farewell Party.

The Sackvilles are best known for the Sackville-Baggins branch of the family. Bungo Baggins, Bilbo's father, had a younger brother, Longo. Longo Baggins married Camellia Sackville. Longo and Camellia's son, Otho Baggins, inherited the head of the Sackville family. He then became known as Otho Sackville-Baggins. Otho Sackville-Baggins married Lobelia Bracegirdle and they had a son, Lotho Sackville-Baggins (1364 - 1419). Otho Sackville-Baggins hoped to gain the headship of the Baggins family when Bilbo Baggins left the Shire but he never did. Otho Sackville-Baggins died before Frodo Baggins left on his adventures but Frodo Baggins eventually sold Bag End to the now hundred year old Lobelia. Lotho Sackville-Baggins was just four years older than Frodo Baggins (born 1368).

Of the Tooks, "It was often said (in other families) that long ago one of the Took ancestors must have taken a fairy wife. That was, of course, absurd, but certainly there was still something not entirely hobbitlike about them, and once in a while members of the Took-clan would go and have adventures. They discreetly disappeared, and the family hushed it up; but the fact remained that the Tooks were not as respectable as the Bagginses, though they were undoubtedly richer". They also had a pronouced Fallohidish strain. The Fallohides were more adventurous and bolder than other hobbits. The Tooks were numerous and very wealthy. Their adventurous spirit was tolerated rather than admired. The Tooks became the Thains after the Brandybucks left to settle Buckland.

From:

The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien, and the Peoples of Middle Earth.

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Updated January 3, 2012