A Shire-hobbit who lived more than two hundred years before the time of the War of the Ring. Alfrida married Gundolpho Bolger, and through their three sons she became an important ancestor of the Bolger family. Alfrida's own ancestry is unclear, but the fact that she came from the Yale suggests a possible connection with the Boffins (a family well represented in that area).
Alfrida's name is interesting: it contains Old English alf (that is, 'Elf'), with her full name meaning 'Elf strength'. We know that the Elves occasionally passed through the Shire near to the Yale, so - based on her name - it's conceivable that Alfrida was one of the very rare Hobbits who would spend time with the Fair Folk.
Notes
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We have no specific dates for Alfrida's life; the dates shown here refer to her husband, Gundolpho Bolger. Alfrida's own dates of birth and death were necessarily comparable (though presumably not identical).
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2 |
It might be natural to imagine that the name Alfrida represented a feminine version of Alfred, but historically this was not the case. Alfrida derives from Old English Ælfþryð, 'Elf strength', whereas Alfred comes from Ælfþræd, 'Elf counsel'.
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- Updated 26 June 2021
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