Eorlings

The term Eorlings is usually used to describe the Men of Rohan, and Rohan came into existence in III 2510. Strictly speaking, it should be said that Eorl the Young became Lord of his people in the northern land of the Éothéod nine years before the founding of Rohan. So, in the broad sense of 'followers of Eorl', Eorlings had actually existed since Eorl became Lord of the Éothéod in III 2501.

The Old English ending -ing had various meanings, but attached to a personal name it usually meant 'children' or 'descendants'. In Rohan, however, Eorlings was used in a more general and figurative sense, to describe not just the literal descendants of Eorl the Young, but all the Men of Rohan, the people of the land that Eorl had founded.