I would also note that in the appendices that the beornings are related to the first age Edain, giving them a rather good standing. Hammond and Scull offer in their LotR Reader Companion an etimology very similar to that given by Boromir88:
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Grimbeorn the Old, son of Beorn, Many Meetings, page 207:... Beorn is an Old English word meaning 'prince, nobleman, warrior' or poetic 'man'.
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I would also note that Beorn has a son; I would consider it very naturally that a leader's family should be of the same race with that of the ones who are ruled - otherwise, esspecially in the case of someone apparently related to animals, he wouldn't have a higher status, but a lower one.