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Hobbits were very keen on keeping track of their ancestors and relatives.
They had to be; their's was a society in which your status depended on who you were related to rather than your abilities or achievements.
Having family names (surnames) helped everyone to know their place (and be kept in their place) in the Hobbit hierarchy.
In other societies it was easier to know your place; you were either the King or you weren't.
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