Race parents

[Lord of Angmar]

Elrond and his brother, Elros, were kidnapped by Maedhros and Maglor while their father Earendil was sailing in Vingilot attempting to reach the Undying Lands. Thus, Elrond was not raised by his father but by two of the Sons of Feanor, who slew many of his people, the exiles of Doriath and Gondolin.

[Legolas]

In the case of Legolas, his father's name is used a couple of times. The main reason we don't see it more is that he isn't introduced or asked his identity nearly as much as Frodo.

'Welcome son of Thranduil! Too seldom do my kindred journey hither from the North.'

He was named Elf-friend because of the great love that grew between him and Legolas, son of King Thranduil, and because of his reverence for the Lady Galadriel.

[Lhunardawen]

I would suppose it has something to do with the fact that practically nobody from the Third Age has been around when the parents of the Elves have been in Middle-Earth. For example, none would call Galadriel the daughter of Finarfin because, after all, are they aware that he is her father?

[Potatothan]

Originally Posted by Lhunardawen

I would suppose it has something to do with the fact that practically nobody from the Third Age has been around when the parents of the Elves have been in Middle-Earth. For example, none would call Galadriel the daughter of Finarfin because, after all, are they aware that he is her father?

Ohw right, so it WAS something to do with the age. Anyone knows who Thrandhuil is related too? I always figured he was with the elves that stayed in middle-earth after the summon of the valar. That case he would be quite old, or is he just a descendant of them?

~Potatothan

[Lobelia]

Originally Posted by Potatothan

Anyone knows who Thrandhuil is related too? I always figured he was with the elves that stayed in middle-earth after the summon of the valar. That case he would be quite old, or is he just a descendant of them?

~Potatothan

Off the top of my head, I can't recall Thranduil's family tree (I am sure someone else on this thread will), but have a look at the chapter "Flies and Spiders" in THE HOBBIT for a description of the Elves of Mirkwood - "For most of them...were descended from the ancient tribes that never went to Faerie in the West." Thranduil must be pretty old, because Legolas says, in THE TWO TOWERS, that Fangorn made him feel young for the first time in a long time and describes his companions as "you children". And Legolas is, of course, Thranduil's child, so must be younger than him.

[Firefoot]

It seems like the ___ son of ____ is used most often in greetings and introductions. I would say it is used as a way of identification. In Legolas's case for example, most people probably didn't know who he was, but they probably would know who Thranduil was, being that he had been king for the entire 3rd Age. (Before Thranduil it was his father Oropher, who was slain in the War of the Last Alliance.) Aragorn often used the "son of Arathorn" when introducing himself. To the hobbits in Bree "I am Aragorn son of Arathorn, and if by life or death I can save you, I will." To Éomer: "Elendil! I am Aragorn son of Arathorn...". to name a few. Someone like Galadriel or Elrond wouldn't need this form of ID because they were obviously quite well-known.

[Findegil]

The history of the Mirkwood-Elves can be found in Unfinished Tales. I will provide a short summary:
Thranduil was the son of Oropher. Oropher was a Sindarin Elf of Doraith that refused to life together with the Noldor when the Elves of Doriath fled to the mouth of Sirion and later to Lindon. He wandered east and settled in the vale of Anduin in the woods around Amon Lac (later Dol Guldur). Since the Sindar had more knowledge the Nandor and Avari they found in the woods they established them self as leaders and Oropher founded a kingdom of the Wood-Elves in southern Mirkwood. In the course of the Second Age Galadriel for the first time lifed in Lórien and influenced the Wood-Elves of that realm. Oropher still didn't liked the Noldor and moved his kingdom to the Woods around the Mountians of Mirkwood to free himself and his people from Galadriels influence.
In the War of the Last Alliance Oropher led his people to the Battle at Dagorlad, but he did not acept the command of Gil-Galad. Thus he and 2/3 of his warrior were killed in an attack lunched to early. Thranduil who had taken part in the battle survived and after the war led the remants of the people bake to mirkwood. When in the third age Dol Guldur becam a thread he removed his realm further north. To the place we know from The Hobbit.
Since Thranduil's palace was in very many aspects similar to Menegroth we can assume that he was already born in Doriath and had seen the fortress of Thingol with his own eyes.

I hope that helps clearing the things a bit.
Respectfully
Findegil

[Lalwendë]

It always struck me that the Hobbits of The Shire and Men of Bree actually stand out as having surnames, instead of being generally referred to as 'son of ....'. I may be mistaken but it doesn't seem that any of the other societies in Middle Earth use surnames. The only odd cases I can think of are names such as 'Gandalf Stormcrow' - these are nicknames, but nicknames are one of the common roots of surnames.

Perhaps it ought to be on a new thread, but I often wonder if this makes The Shire the most 'advanced' of the various societies. Surnames generally come into use when trade and government have grown so much that it would be impossible to govern without being able to distinguish individuals.

Anyway, I generally think that the use of names is a cultural matter in middle Earth. The elves don't seem to use anything other than first names, which might indicate a smaller, more village-like society, wheareas men use 'son of...', which is more feudal.