How many Rangers of the North were there ?

[Snowdog]

Thanks for getting some good discussion going here!

Originally Posted by Archaic Elf

I don't know how many of the Dunedain escaped the sinking of Numenor, but I think it's safe to say that they would have married with other humans they met in Eriador.

Actually, it's said clearly somewhere (i believe in the Appendices) that the Northern Dunedain (Arnor) kept their bloodline relatively pure as opposed to the Southern Dunedain (Gondor) where there was considerable intermingling with the Northmen of Rhovanion.This led to the 'Kin Strife' in Gondor. So there was a dwindling numbers of the Dunedain in the north over the years, especially it their keeping their bloodlines Dunedain. The question of numbers of Rangers at the time of the War of the Ring, and where they lived and raised families, are a mystery answered by some great speculation.

Originally Posted by Archaic Elf

A good question (and an unanswerable question at that) would be how many rangers fell in their battle with the Nazgul at the border of the Shire? This is one action sequence that would have been cool to see in the Fellowship of the Ring. I imagine the rangers suffered some significant loss in the battle.

I think they were just 'scattered' and driven off. No mention of any deaths that I am aware of.