[Phantasm]

In my Ranoc setting, most of the Elves live like Ewoks: in villages built 15 to 50 feet up off the ground in the trees of a tropical/semi-tropical jungle, while farming on the ground after monsoon season ends. That can lead to a lot of young deaths. Ranoc Elves are also incredibly patient due to their long lifespans (600 years on average, as opposed to the Human 70), so starting a family while young is considered "hasty" by Allira'el society. I can see them having a few kids, waiting a century or two, then having another couple kids.


One thing Tolkien assumed was "Elves are in decline", same with Dwarves and Ents, with Men (and Hobbits, the new kids on the block, historically speaking) on the rise. This does not necessarily have to be the case in your world. As an inversion, Elves could be a younger race than Men, only now appearing on the scene, being stronger, taller, faster, smarter, handsomer, and much longer lived than Men...