Wealth is not only limited to some of the richest individuals like Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos. But, in reality, there are families who boast outrageous amounts of wealth through their generational legacy.
These wealthiest families control every largest industry and brand in the world, ranging from banks to what you eat, drink, watch, read, and wear.
Money (Source: Corporate Finance Institute)
On the top spot of the list, we have a family who is believed to be secretly controlling the world we live in.
So, without further ado, let’s take a quick tour inside the lives of such 15 richest families on the planet.
Quick Overview
Name of the Family
Company
Industry
Wealth (Net Worth)
Generations
Headquarter
1. Rothschild
Rothschild & Co
Banking
$400 Billion
6
London
2.Walton
Walmart
Consumer Retail
$238.2 Billion
3
Bentonville, Arkansas
3. Koch
Koch Industries
Conglomerate
$124.2 Billion
3
Wichita, Kansas
4.Mars
Mars
Confectionery, Pet Care
$141.9 Billion
5
McLean, Virginia
5. Dumas
Hermès
Luxury Goods
$111.6 Billion
6
Paris, France
6. Al Saud (House of Saud)
Al Saud Co Ltd.
Fossil Fuels & Oil
$100 Billion
3
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
7. Ambani
Reliance Industries
Telecom, Textile, Retail, Gas & Petrochemicals
$93.7 Billion
3
Mumbai, Maharastra, India
8. Wertheimer
Chanel
Luxury Goods
$61.8 Billion
3
Paris, France
9. Johnson
Fidelity Investments
Finance
$61.2 Billion
3
Boston, US
10. Thomson
Thomson Reuters
Media
$61.1 Billion
3
Toronto, Canada
11. Boehringer & Von-Baumbach
Boehringer Ingelheim
Pharmaceuticals
$59.2 Billion
4
Ingelheim am Rhein, Germany
12. Cargill-MacMillan
Cargill
Agriculture
$51.6 Billion
6
Minneapolis, US
13. Albrecht
Aldi
Consumer Retail
$51 Billion
3
Essen and Muelheim, Germany
14. Lauder
Estée Lauder
Cosmetics
$49.3 Billion
3
New York
15. Roche
Roche Holding AG
Biotech & Pharmaceuticals
$47.3 Billion
5
Basel, Switzerland
Richest Families in the World
The details and information have been compiled from reliable sites on the web including Bloomberg and Celebrity Net Worth.
15. Roche Family
Net Worth: $47.3 Billion
Roche family is the 15th richest family in the world.
Roche is the world’s largest biotech and pharmaceutical company.
Besides, the pioneer of the company is a Swiss businessman Fritz Hoffmann- La Roche. Hoffmann founded the company in 1896 in Basel, Switzerland.
Moreover, Roche has its research development and production area spread in more than 100 countries.
Portrait of Roche family (Source: Ipswich News)
Similarly, Roche produces medicines against cancer, diabetes, and virus. In addition, it also manufactures all of the medical testing machines.
During the pandemic, Roche delivered more than 400k COVID test kits every week to the US. Thus, the company gained profits of $60 billion in 2020.
Roche created 3 new research test kits for the COVID-19 Omricon variant this December.
14. Lauder Family
Net Worth: $49.3 Billion
Lauder family is the 14th richest family in the world.
Since 1946, Esteé Lauder and her husband Joseph Lauder have thrived to create the world’s leading cosmetic company, Esteé Lauder.
Lauder Family (Source: Estee Lauder Companies)
The company is located in New York. Its production branches are in China, Belgium, and the UK. As of now, the company sells its prestigious skincare, makeup, haircare, fragrance products in more than 150 countries.
Moreover, it owns numerous high-profile beauty brands, including MAC, Bobbi Brown, and Aveda.
Further, the six Lauder family members enjoy 40% of the fortunes from their family business. As of December 2024, the Lauder family’s net worth is a staggering $49.3 billion.
13. Albrecht Family
Net Worth: $51 Billion
Albrecht family is the 13th richest family in the world.
The family’s huge fortune empire Aldi started when two brothers, Theo and Karl Albrecht, found their mother’s grocery store still safe after World War II.
In 1946, the Albrecht brothers started their retail business venture “Aldi” in Essen, Germany. Later, they developed it into the world’s leading discount retail company.
Albrecht Family (Source: Net Worth Post)
After 14 years, the brothers split Aldi into two parts: Aldi Nord and Aldi Sued. Theo ran Nord in Essen. While Karl ran Sued in Mulheim.
Besides, both branches Nord and Sued runs 11,000 stores in more than 19 countries. Aldi has an annual earning of $121.1 billion.
Moreover, Theo’s family owns a popular grocery store, “Trader’s Joe’s” which has 530 stores across the US. Its annual revenue is around $16.5 billion.
Today, Albrecht’s family heirs enjoy a net worth of $51 billion.
12. Cargill-MacMillan Family
Net Worth: $51.6 Billion
In 1865, William Wallace Cargill started a grain storage business in his hometown Iowa.
After the death of Mr. Cargill, his son-in-law, John H-MacMillan Sr., flourished the Cargill company into one of the world’s leading private commodity companies. Cargill Inc. is located in Minnesota.
Today Cargill employs more than 166,000 people worldwide. The company operates in more than 125 countries in its four key areas: agriculture, animal nutrition, food, and trade finance.
Cargill MacMillan (Source: Alux.com)
Similarly, the company also supplies cotton, produces salt, cocoa & chocolate, and does ocean shipments internationally.
Cargill’s annual revenue rose up to $134 billion this year.
Moreover, the fifth generations of Cargill and MacMillan own 90% of the company.
As of December 2024, the Cargill-MacMillan family’s net worth is a staggering $51.6 billion making them the 12th richest family in the world.
Cargill Inc. exports 25% of grains, 22% of domestic meat products, and produces Alberger process salt in the US.
11. Boehringer & Von Baumbach Family
Net Worth: $59.2 Billion
In 1888, Albert Boehringer opened a small tartar factory in Ingelheim am Rhein, Germany. The factory produced tartaric and lactic acids for the food industry.
Later, Boehringer transformed it into a drug company, “Boehringer Ingelheim.”
After the death of Boehringer in 1939, his great-grandson Hubertus von Baumbach took care of the company.
Today, it is the 2nd largest pharmaceutical company in Germany and stands among the top 20 globally.
Boehringer Von Baumbach Family (Source: Twitter)
Moreover, the company produces drugs related to diseases like cancer, diabetes, epilepsy, asthma, etc. Besides, it also produces medicines for animals.
It has 145 affiliate companies worldwide. The annual revenue of the company is €19.6 billion.
As of December 2024, the Boehringer and Von Baumbach heirs enjoy a combined net worth of $59.2 billion.
Jardiance is the best selling drug of the company. This Type 2 Diabetes drug generated $2.9 billion in 2020.
10. Thomson Family
Net Worth: $61.1 Billion
The legacy of Thomsons started when David Thomson inherited his grandfather’s global media company, Thomson Corporation.
Later, David acquired Reuters and developed the company into Thomson Reuters.
Today, it is the world’s leading news and financial market information providing agency located in Ontario.
The company provides technical and media expertise in law, tax, compliance, and governance to the business professionals worldwide.
Thomson Family (Source: Autourdelafrance)
Similarly, Thomson is the chairman of his family investment company Woodbridge.
Moreover, Thomson invests in vast real estate assets. In addition, the Thomson family owns huge numbers of media and publication companies, including Bell Canada, The Globe, and Mail.
Further, the Thomson family enjoys a net worth of $61.1 billion.
Indeed, the Thomson family is Canada’s richest family and one of the richest families in the world.
9. Johnson Family
Net Worth: $61.2 Billion
Johnson family owns one of the world’s largest mutual fund complexes, Fidelity.
Edward C. Johnson founded Fidelity in 1946 in Boston.
Today, Johnson’s granddaughter Abigail Johnson serves as the CEO of Fidelity.
Besides, the Johnson family owns 49% of the company, and the employees own 51% of the company.
Johnson Family (Source: Dallas Morning News)
Fidelity provides services to global customers on equity stocks, fixed income, money market & other assets.
The company manages more than $4.2 trillion in assets.
As of December 2024, the Johnson family has an estimated net worth of $61.2 billion.
8. Wertheimer Family
Net Worth: $61.8 Billion
The Wertheimer family owns the world’s largest French luxury fashion house, Chanel.
In 1909, Coco Chanel founded the women’s high fashion and ready-made clothes, luxury goods, accessories brand “Chanel” in Paris.
After the death of Coco, her business partner, Pierre Wertheimer, owned the company.
Today, the 3rd generation of the Wertheimer family runs the company. Pierre’s grandsons, Alan and Gerard, have been looking after the House of Chanel for 43 years.
Wertheimer Family (Source: Celebrity Net Worth)
As of December 2024, Chanel’s estimated net worth is a staggering $15 billion.
Chanel No.5 perfume, Chanel suit, and Chanel hand bags are Chanel’s signature products.
Moreover, the Wertheimer brothers own a Thoroughbred horse breeding and racing business in France.
Thus, the Wertheimer family is enjoying an estimated net worth of $61.8 billion as of December 2024.
7. Ambani Family
Net Worth: $93.7 Billion
Mukesh Ambani is the CEO of India’s largest multinational company, Reliance Industries.
Besides, he is the world’s 10th richest man.
In 1966, his late father, Dhirubhai Ambani, founded the company as a textile industry in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.
Ambani Family (Source: Tehelka)
Today, Reliance covers retail, petrochemicals, telecom, oil, and gas sectors.
Reliance is responsible for 8% exports of India’s total goods in more than 100 countries.
Similarly, Reliance holds a revenue of $64 billion.
Moreover, the Ambani family is the 7th richest family in the world. They enjoy a net worth of a whopping $93.7 billion.
6. House of Saud
Net Worth: $100 Billion
There is no royal family more wealthy than the Royal family of Saudi Arabia.
With an estimated net worth of $100 billion, the Al Saud family is the sixth richest family in the world.
The crown prince of Saudi Arabia, Salman Bin Abdulaziz, controls the Saudi Royal family.
Saudi Royal Family Al-Saud (Source: House of Saud)
Whereas 15,000 members of the royal family share lavish fortunes.
Besides, the family bags huge assets from the state’s wide fossil fuel reserves. Moreover, they own the world’s second-largest crude oil, petroleum, and natural gas company, Saudi Aramco. It has a yearly revenue of $230 billion.
Moreover, the House of Saud owns $30 billion worth of private jets, luxury yachts, chateaus, and gold-plated Kleenex dispensers.
5. Dumas Family
Net Worth: $111.6 Billion
In 1837, Thierry Hermès founded a French luxury fashion house, Hermès, in Paris.
Hermès produces leather goods, scarves, ties, clothes, perfumes, watches, and 19th-20th century design glasses from Saint-Louis.
Berkin handbags are the signature products of Hermès. It is the symbol of wealth and prestige.
Dumas Family (Source: Business Insider)
Today, the sixth-generation family owns the international luxury design house, Hermès.
Thus, with an estimated net worth of $111.6 billion, the Dumas family is the fifth richest family in the world.
4. Mars Family
Net Worth:$141.9 Billion
Mars family is the fourth richest family in the world.
In 1911, Franklin Clarence Mars founded Mars Inc. in Washington. It is now one of the largest confectionery companies in the world, headquartered in Virginia.
Today, Franklin’s granddaughter Jacqueline Mars owns the company along with her brother John Mars and four nieces.
Moreover, Mars is the leading producer of pet food from its brands Pedigree ( dog food) and Whiskas (cat food). In addition, the company also sells its global bestseller juicy chewing gums from Wrigley.
Mars Family (Source: Twitter)
Further, the family owns a veterinary hospital, VAC operating across the US and Canada.
Mars is the producer of the popular chocolate brands: Snickers, Bounty, Milky Way Bar, and M&Ms.
Besides, Mars Inc. makes an annual turnover of around $37 billion.
As of December 2024, the third generation of the Mars family has been enjoying a fortune of $141.9 billion.
3. Koch Family
Net Worth: $124.4 Billion
Koch family is the third richest family in the world.
In 1940, Fred C. Koch founded an oil refining corporation “Wood River Oil and Refining Company” in Wichita, Kansas.
After the death of Koch, his second son, Charles Koch, owned the company.
Koch Family (Source: Celebrity Net Worth)
Similarly, Charles named it “Koch Industries” and expanded the industry into asphalt, fertilizers, natural gas, textiles, trade, finance, pulp & paper production.
Moreover, the international company brings an annual revenue of $110 billion.
As of December 2024, the third generation of the Koch family has a gigantic fortune of $124.4 billion.
2. Walton Family
Net Worth: $238.2 Billion
Walton family is the second richest family in the world.
Sam Walton founded the world’s largest retail corporation, Walmart, in 1962. Its headquarter is in Bentonville, US.
Walmart has 10,566 stores spread globally as supermarkets, hypermarkets, and convenience stores. Similarly, Walmart also runs 599 Sam’s Club stores in the US, Mexico, China, and Brazil.
Walton Family (Source: Bloomberg)
In addition, the Walton family owns India’s leading e-commerce company, Flipkart. It has a revenue of a staggering $6.1 billion.
Besides, Walmart has a revenue of $559.2 billion.
Moreover, Walton heirs own 51% of the family business. And the rest is publicly owned.
As of December 2024, the Walton family is enjoying a gigantic fortune of $238.2 billion.
1. Rothschild Family
Net Worth: $400 Billion
The richest family to ever exist is the Rothschild family.
The historical origin of Rothschild dates back to the 1760s when a Jewish banker Mayer Amschel Rothschild started his banking business.
Since then, the Rothschild major wealth influence has been banking sectors. After the death of Mayer, his five sons operated their own finance houses in London, Paris, Frankfurt, Vienna & Naples.
Later, Rothschild entered into diverse fields like real estate, mining, winemaking, non-profits, and agriculture. Besides, they own multinational investment banks, Rothschild & Co and Edmond de Rothschild Group.
Rothschild Family (Source: Celebrity Net Worth)
Moreover, Rothschild owns around 50 estates in the US, Germany, and France.
In addition, Historians say that the Rothschilds financially served the British government. And they control the World Bank. Besides, they also decide the cost of the central backbone of the economy, Gold.
Similarly, there are a lot of hidden conspiracies behind the massive wealth of Rothschild.
As of December 2024, the Rothschild family enjoys an enormous fortune of $400 billion.
