Did Orcs Come From Elves? Origins, Myths & LOTR History Explained

The origin of Orcs in The Lord of the Rings has long been debated, with the most common belief that they came from Elves—but how exactly did this work? J.R.R. Tolkien constructed an in-depth lore and history for his fictional world, but that isn’t to say that he made all the answers easy to find or define. The Lord of the Rings books took place thousands of years after Middle-earth was created, and the many details surrounding the beings’ origins had been forgotten even by the immortal Elves. However, there are a few hints spattered throughout, and Tolkien’s posthumously published works like The Silmarillion provided further answers.