Top 10 richest families in history

Walton Family: Walmart

Estimated Wealth: $215 billion

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The Walton's the richest family in America and by some measures, the wealthiest clan in the world. At the top of the value chain, in 2020, Jim and Alice Walton are each worth $54 billion and ranked Number 8 and Number 9, respectively, on Forbes’ annual list of billionaires.

Walmart is a retail behemoth. Founded by Sam Walton in Arkansas in 1962, Walmart is now the world’s largest company by 2020 revenues, with $524 billion and over 2.2 million U.S. associates. The company operates nearly 11,600 retail stores worldwide and 5,300 stores in the United States as of 2020.

Best known for big box stores rural and suburban America, Walmart is celebrated for its low priced products and criticized for its labor practices. The company failed to bring its big box consumer lifestyle to New York City, unlike its numerous competitors.

2. Mars Family: Mars

Estimated Wealth: $120 billion

Mars is the Walmart of candy: a multigenerational family business that is cheap, and popular. Today, the company is better known for making M&Ms than for its eponymous Mars bar.

Siblings Jacqueline and John Mars, whose grandfather, Frank Mars, founded the company, each has a net worth of $24.7 billion and are tied for Number 29 in 2020 on the Forbes annual list of billionaires. The company is now being run by some of their children, the fourth generation of Mars family members.

3. Koch Family: Koch Industries

Estimated Wealth: $109.7 billion

Charles Koch owes his staggering fortune to an oil business founded by his father, but today, he is perhaps better known to the general public for his politics, digging into his deep pockets to place his stamp on it: financing candidates and libertarian think tanks, funding university professorships, and lobbying for policy positions, all aimed at furthering a conservative agenda.

Charles partnered with his brother David until the latter’s death in 2019.Charles is worth an estimated $38.2 billion, tied for the 18th spot with David’s widow Julia Koch and family on the Forbes billionaires list.

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4. Al Saud: Saudi Royal Family

Estimated Wealth: $95 billion

The House of Saud, the Saudi royal family, has a monarchical history extending back nearly a century. The family’s massive fortune, estimated at $95 billion, has grown thanks to decades of payments from the Royal Diwan, the king’s executive office. Ties with Saudi amaco the world’s most profitable company and a behemoth of the oil industry, ensure that the Saudi royal family continues to accumulate wealth. It’s difficult to accurately assess the wealth of the House of Saud, in part because the family contains as many as 15,000 extended members, many of whom have founded businesses, received government contracts, and more.

5. Ambani Family: Reliance Industries

Estimated Wealth: $81.3 billion

Indian industrial conglomerate Reliance Industries, the only Asian company on this list, might be the least well known to the general public. Nevertheless, CEO Mukesh Ambani, whose late father founded the company in 1957, is 21st on Forbes' billionaires list, overseeing the company’s refining, petrochemicals, oil, gas, and textiles. His brother, Anil, manages telecommunications, asset management, entertainment, and power generation.

6. Dumas Family: Hermès

Estimated Wealth: $63.9 billion

French fashion house and luxury purveyor Hermès has dazzled the world with its signature scarves, neckties, and perfumes, as well as its iconic Kelly and Birkin handbags. Back in the 19th century, Thierry Hermès fashioned riding apparel for the aristocracy. Today, the company dresses basketball royalty such as LeBron James. Fusing old school and new technology, Hermès Apple Watches sell for $1,300 to $2,000 and upward. Axel Dumas currently serves as the company’s CEO and chair, and Pierre Alexis Dumas is the artistic director.

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7. Wertheimer Family: Chanel

Estimated Wealth: $54.4 billion

French high fashion house Chanel is legendary for the timeless little black dress, their exotic perfume, and the late high profile designer Karl Lagerfeld, who died in 2019. Brothers Alain and Gerhard Wertheimer now co-own the company that their grandfather staked with founder Gabrielle Coco Chanel. The brothers are both ranked 48th on the Forbes billionaires list, with a net worth of $17 billion each.

8. Johnson Family: Fidelity Investments

Estimated Wealth: $46.3 billion

Fidelity Investments was founded by Edward C. Johnson II in 1946 and is one of the largest financial services firms in the world, providing investment services to millions of people. The firm is now run by Johnson’s granddaughter, Abigail Johnson, who ranks 124th on the Forbes billionaires list at a net worth of $10.8 billion.

9. Boehringer, von Baumbach Families: Boehringer Ingelheim

Estimated Wealth: $45.7 billion

Boehringer Ingelheim is a German pharmaceuticals company with more than 130 years of history. The Boehringer family, along with the von Baumbachs, remain in control of the company several generations later.

10. Albrecht Family: Aldi

Estimated Wealth: $41 billion

Aldi is an international chain of grocery stores that grew when brothers Theo and Karl Albrecht began to manage their parents’ grocery store after World War II. Aldi also owns the popular American chain of grocery stores known as Trader Joe’s. Theo Albrecht and family have a net worth of $17 billion and rank at Number 51 on the Forbes billionaires list.

What do you think? Do you wish to be on one of these lists some day?

This article was derived from investopedia