The world of Middle-earth is so vast, and the history that Tolkien created to go along with it is just as extensive. He created numerous origins for kingdoms and races, and there is so much deep lore behind every facet of Middle-earth. One of the more complex elements of this is the history of the Elves, including where they came from and how they got to the point that the Elven realms are at during the time of TheLord of the Rings. The Elves are spread out across Middle-earth and do not only inhabit one area, and it's often confusing to keep track of which Elves live where and what the subtle differences between these kingdoms are.
The main Elven realms and towns that are featured in Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit are Rivendell, Mirkwood, and Lothlórien, but those were not the only places that the Elves resided in, and the distinction between what types of Elves live where and the "classes" they fit into depending on their descent is all a little complicated. With the Elves being some of Middle-earth's oldest residents, it makes sense that they would have quite the storied history, and that each Elven kingdom might develop its own identity and distinction from the others.
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In order to understand the differences between the Elves, it's important to understand where they came from. The Elves originated in the far East and were called by the Valar (the "gods" of Middle-earth) to join them in the Undying Lands in the West. The Elves that responded to the summons all belonged to one of three kindreds: the Vanyar, the Noldor, and the Teleri. The Teleri were the largest group and as they set off on their journey to the West, various groups dropped off from the main migration and eventually formed their own colonies across Middle-earth. These were called the Nandor, and many of the Elves who first inhabited Lothlórien and Mirkwood were Nandor Elves.
These Elves are often referred to as the Silvan Elves and they are the lowest "class" of Elves. The Silvan Elves of the Woodland Realm (aka Mirkwood) were stereotyped to be less dangerous and less wise than other types of Elves, though they were also the only Elven realm to have a king. Thranduil, who is a character well-known to fans of The Hobbit, was the son of Oropher - who founded Mirkwood - and was king of the Woodland Realm. Legolas, who most will recognize as a key member of the Fellowship of the Ring, was Thranduil's son and as such, also hailed from Mirkwood. Thranduil and Legolas were not actually Silvan Elves, however, as Thranduil's father Oropher was originally from Doriath, where Sindar (or "High Elves") resided.
As the Teleri continued their journey to the West, there was another major split, with some of the Elves finally journeying across the sea while others chose to stay in Middle-earth. Those that stayed became the Sindar or Grey Elves. The "Grey" title comes from the fact that they never completed their journey to the Undying Lands and never got to see the light of the Two Trees of Valinor. The Sindarin Elves formed the previously mentioned kingdom of Doriath, which was the first kingdom in Middle-earth. The group of Elves that did complete the pilgrimage to the Undying Lands were known as the Eldar, and they got the chance to live under the light of the Two Trees. Some eventually decided to return to Middle-earth, and these were known as the Noldor.
By the time the War for the Rings comes around, Galadriel and Glorfindel are some of the last remaining Noldor in Middle-earth, as the others were either killed or chose to travel back to the Undying Lands. Lothlórien was initially inhabited by Nandorin Elves, but they were eventually joined by a population of Sindar and Noldor Elves, including Celeborn and Galadriel who came to rule as Lord and Lady. The Elves that inhabit Lórien are known as High Elves, and were not only viewed as a higher "class" of Elf, but those that were Noldor also possessed a spiritual power from visiting the Undying Lands that the Silvan Elves, who had never been there or seen the Two Trees, did not.
Rivendell is a bit of a different case than the previous ones, because it is not a "realm" in the same way that Mirkwood or Lothlórien are. Rather, it is more of an Elven town, and though it is a significant location in The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, it is a bit of a smaller venue than many of the other Elven realms. Elrond established Rivendell in the Second Age during the War between the Elves and Sauron. In a battle between Sauron and Eregion (another Elven kingdom), Sauron decimated the Elves and Elrond was sent with an army to assist Eregion. However, he arrived too late and was forced to retreat with the Eregion refugees into a valley that they made into a stronghold. This was the beginning of what would become Rivendell.
Eventually, Sauron was defeated and Imladris (the Sindarin name for Rivendell) became a permanent settlement and hub of learning and culture for the Elves. The population of Rivendell was comprised of predominantly High Elves, mostly Sindar with a few exiled Noldor in the mix. Rivendell is one of the more well-known Elven places to Tolkien fans because of its significance in Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit as a resting point, as well as the place where the main quests really kick off from. Elrond ruled over Rivendell until he decided to travel to the Undying Lands after the War for the Ring at the end of the Third Age. Though there were many Elven kingdoms and realms scattered through Middle-earth, these were the main locations that factored into Tolkien's stories, and some of the only realms that remained during the time period of Lord of the Rings.
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