Silas Marner: lower class by birth, a weaver who is betrayed at Lantern Yard (site of a dissenting sect) by his treacherous friend William Dane, moves away to Raveloe (where the community is Church of England), becomes taken for a miser, as he accumulates a small fortune, only to have it stolen by Dunstan Cass.
After these misfortunes, he gradually finds his happiness and virtue by the arrival of young Eppie (biological daughter of Godfrey Cass) whom he raises as his adopted child.
Eppie turns out to be a beautiful girl and it is decided later that she will marry Aaron Winthrop.

Squire Cass, Lord of the Manor of Raveloe and host of the party on the night when Eppie comes into Silas's life so unexpectedly.

Godfrey Cass: upper class by birth but troubled by money, eldest son of the local squire, who is blackmailed by his dissolute brother Dunstan over his secret first marriage to Molly.
When Molly dies, he feels relief, and escapes punishment for his betrayal and deceit, instead marrying Nancy.

Dunstan Cass: second son of the local squire.
He blackmails his older brother, until he disappears.
He steals Silas' gold after accidentally killing his older brother's horse Wildfire.
Many years pass before his corpse is found in a newly drained pit.

Molly Farren: Godfrey's first (and secret) wife, who has a child by him; an opium addict; lower class, impoverished.
She dies in the attempt to reveal to the community her relationship with Godfrey, leaving the child, Eppie, to wander into Silas' life.

Eppie (Hephzibah): daughter of Molly and Godfrey, who is named by and cared for by Silas after the death of her mother.
Mischievous in her early years, she grows into a radiant and beautiful young girl, devoted to her adoptive father.

Nancy Cass (née Lammeter): Godfrey Cass' second wife, a morally and socially respectable young woman, admired by her husband but deceived by him as regards his past.

Priscilla Lammeter, Nancy's plain, unmarried older sister, who supports Nancy and their father.

Aaron Winthrop: son of Dolly, who marries Eppie at the end of the novel and is considered a happy match for her.

Dolly Winthrop: mother to Aaron, wife of Ben; godmother to Eppie.
Sympathetic to Silas and offers him practical support in raising the child.

Ben Winthrop, wheelwright, largely invisible in the novel.

Mr Snell, landlord of the Rainbow Inn, Raveloe.

William Dane: William Dane is Silas' former best friend at Lantern Yard.
At the start of the novel, William betrays Silas by framing him for theft and marrying Silas' fiancée Sarah.

Sarah: Silas' fiancée in Lantern Yard, who subsequently marries his treacherous friend William Dane.

Mr Macey: the clerk at the local church, a tailor, very elderly by the end of the novel.

Solomon Macey, Mr Macey's brother, a talented violinist.

Mr Crackenthorpe, rector of Raveloe and a Justice of the Peace.

Bob Lundy, the butcher of Raveloe.

John Dowlas, the farrier of Raveloe.

Jem Rodney, a local poacher, initially suspected by Silas of stealing his money.

Mrs Kimble, the sister of Squire Cass, and the doctor's wife, thus considered a double dignitary.

Dr Kimble, the doctor of Raveloe, who attends when Molly is found dead.

Bob Cass, The Squire's youngest son.
Silas Marner: lower class by birth, a weaver who is betrayed at Lantern Yard (site of a dissenting sect) by his treacherous friend William Dane, moves away to Raveloe (where the community is Church of England), becomes taken for a miser, as he accumulates a small fortune, only to have it stolen by Dunstan Cass. After these misfortunes, he gradually finds his happiness and virtue by the arrival of young Eppie (biological daughter of Godfrey Cass) whom he raises as his adopted child. Eppie turns out to be a beautiful girl and it is decided later that she will marry Aaron Winthrop.
Squire Cass, Lord of the Manor of Raveloe and host of the party on the night when Eppie comes into Silas's life so unexpectedly.
Godfrey Cass: upper class by birth but troubled by money, eldest son of the local squire, who is blackmailed by his dissolute brother Dunstan over his secret first marriage to Molly. When Molly dies, he feels relief, and escapes punishment for his betrayal and deceit, instead marrying Nancy.
Dunstan Cass: second son of the local squire. He blackmails his older brother, until he disappears. He steals Silas' gold after accidentally killing his older brother's horse Wildfire. Many years pass before his corpse is found in a newly drained pit.
Molly Farren: Godfrey's first (and secret) wife, who has a child by him; an opium addict; lower class, impoverished. She dies in the attempt to reveal to the community her relationship with Godfrey, leaving the child, Eppie, to wander into Silas' life.
Eppie (Hephzibah): daughter of Molly and Godfrey, who is named by and cared for by Silas after the death of her mother. Mischievous in her early years, she grows into a radiant and beautiful young girl, devoted to her adoptive father.
Nancy Cass (née Lammeter): Godfrey Cass' second wife, a morally and socially respectable young woman, admired by her husband but deceived by him as regards his past.
Priscilla Lammeter, Nancy's plain, unmarried older sister, who supports Nancy and their father.
Aaron Winthrop: son of Dolly, who marries Eppie at the end of the novel and is considered a happy match for her.
Dolly Winthrop: mother to Aaron, wife of Ben; godmother to Eppie. Sympathetic to Silas and offers him practical support in raising the child.
Ben Winthrop, wheelwright, largely invisible in the novel.
Mr Snell, landlord of the Rainbow Inn, Raveloe.
William Dane: William Dane is Silas' former best friend at Lantern Yard. At the start of the novel, William betrays Silas by framing him for theft and marrying Silas' fiancée Sarah.
Sarah: Silas' fiancée in Lantern Yard, who subsequently marries his treacherous friend William Dane.
Mr Macey: the clerk at the local church, a tailor, very elderly by the end of the novel.
Solomon Macey, Mr Macey's brother, a talented violinist.
Mr Crackenthorpe, rector of Raveloe and a Justice of the Peace.
Bob Lundy, the butcher of Raveloe.
John Dowlas, the farrier of Raveloe.
Jem Rodney, a local poacher, initially suspected by Silas of stealing his money.
Mrs Kimble, the sister of Squire Cass, and the doctor's wife, thus considered a double dignitary.
Dr Kimble, the doctor of Raveloe, who attends when Molly is found dead.
Bob Cass, The Squire's youngest son.
Silas Marner