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In a late text it is noted that the Silvan Elves or Tawarwaith were in origin Teleri, descended from those who were daunted by the Misty Mountains and lingered in the Anduin Vale. They were thus akin to the Green Elves of Ossiriand (who eventually migrated to Beleriand), but had themselves hid '... in woodland fastnesses beyond the Misty Mountains, and became a small and scattered people, hardly to be distinguished from Avari...' (from the History of Galadriel and Celeborn Appendix A, The Silvan Elves And Their Speech, Unfinished Tales).

The Avarin question is a bit more complicated. In the essay Quendi And Eldar (1959-60) there is description related to Avarin migrations not only to the Anduin Vale (and thus mixing with the Telerin Tawarwaith), but to Beleriand itself -- it was noted, for example, that somewhat later the Sindar became aware of Avari, who had crept in small and secret groups into Beleriand from the South.

However in a later text, Of Dwarves And Men, Tolkien wrote: 'Those who had never made the journey to the West Shores were called 'the Refusers' (Avari). It is doubtful if any of the Avari ever reached Beleriand or were actually known to the Numenoreans.'

This much would still seem to allow for an Avarin element in the Anduin Vale however, though again The Silvan Elves and their Speech is also later than Q&E and doesn't seem to specifically (at least) note that some Avari had merged with them.

Considering Tolkien-published text and 'late unpublished' text, I first note Robert Foster's entries (The Complete Guide to Middle-Earth): 'East-Elves The Silvan Elves

Silvan Elves 'Those tribes of Elves who were not of the Eldar, than whom (...) The Silvan Elves are probably to be identified with the Avari (...) They may also have included the surviving Nandor who did not enter Beleriand.'

So Foster draws the not unnatural Avarin conclusion (noting 'probably' too), and given that he uses the 1977 Silmarillion as a source, he adds the bit about the Nandor. His entry is based on description Tolkien himself published (cited below), plus a bit that he did not publish himself, in Silmarillion. Draft examples of Appendix F aside, looking at what Tolkien decided to publish:

'The Elves far back in the Elder Days became divided into two main branches: the West-elves (the Eldar) and the East-elves. Of the latter kind were most of the elven-folk of Mirkwood and Lorien; but their languages do not appear in this history, of which all of the Elvish names and words are of Eldarin form.*

*In Lorien at this period Sindarin was spoken, though with an 'accent', since most of its folk were of Silvan origin (...) But Lorien, Caras Galadhon, Amroth, Nimrodel are probably of Silvan origin, adapted to Sindarin.'


It seems here that the East-elves are 'not Eldar' nor their languages Eldarin.

Moreover, according to The Lord of the Rings, Eldar refers to the three kindreds who sought for the Undying Realm and came there are the beginning of days, save the Sindar only (Appendix F). So again the East-elves are not considered Eldar, and 'West-elves' includes West Over Sea, and apparently the far West of Old Middle-earth (Beleriand. The Sindar migrated very much West if not Over Sea).

Incidentally I note an entry for Eldar from the more recently published The Children of Hurin edited by Christopher Tolkien: 'Eldar The Elves of the Great Journey out of the East to Beleriand.'

Interesting version from CJRT here

And we also know from Tolkien-published text (as Legolas relates for example) that the Silvan Elves of Lorien passed Over Sea at times. Interestingly, in Appendix F JRRT did not specifically follow 'East-elves' with Avari, despite that he followed West-elves with Eldar.