Affluence and financial freedom are privileges enjoyed by a select few. It is the result of one’s perseverance, hard work, and dedication, which one can bestow upon himself and pass down via his family.
Though the twenty-first century is littered with self-made billionaires such as Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and Mark Zuckerberg, to mention a few, the upper crust, on the other hand, is brimming with outrageously wealthy families with fortunes dating back centuries.
Here’s the catch for the world’s wealthiest households.
1. Walton Family
By far the wealthiest family on the planet is the Walton family of the United States. The combined assets of the Walton siblings Alice, Jim, and Rob were valued at $244 billion in 2021. These three were ranked #17, 18, and 19 on Forbes’ Billionaires list, respectively.
Walmart, their moneymaker, is the world’s largest corporation, with revenue forecasted to reach $524 billion in 2021. It has 2.2 million American associates. This corporation has a total of 10, 566 retail shops globally, with 4,742 in the United States alone.
In the year 1962, Sam Walton, the creator of this massive corporation, began it in Arkansas City.
2. Arnault Family
With a total wealth of $182.5 billion as of 2020, the Arnault family of France is the world’s second-wealthiest family.
Bernard Jean Étienne Arnault is the family’s main figure. He is the CEO and founder of LVMH Mot Hennessy Louis Vuitton, the world’s largest luxury goods firm. According to Forbes, he is the third richest person in the world and the richest European, with a net worth of $167 billion as of March 2022.
Delphine Arnault, his eldest daughter from his first marriage to Anne Dewavrin, is a director and executive vice president of Louis Vuitton (LVMH Group), and Antoine Arnault, the CEO of Berluti and chair of Loro Piana, have combined assets that have landed this family the position of the richest family in the world.
3. Mars Family
The Mars Family came in third place, with a net worth of $141.9 billion, making the candy and consumer goods maker one of the wealthiest in the world. Jacqueline and John Mars, siblings, are ranked #48 on Forbes with a combined net worth of $31 billion. Furthermore, according to Forbes, six members of Mars’ family are among the world’s 400 wealthiest people.
Frank Mars began selling buttercream sweets from his kitchen in Tacoma, Washington, in 1911. It started off as a smoldering ember, but it has now blossomed into the sweetest blaze of success for his successors.
Snickers, Mars Bars, Milky Way, Twix, M&M’s, and a variety of other candies are produced by Mars Inc. today.
4. Koch Family
The Koch Family of the United States is ranked third among the world’s wealthiest families. In 2019, they reported combined assets of US $124.5 billion from Koch Industries.
Koch Industries is currently taking money from the manufacturing, chemical equipment, pulp and paper industries, ranches, energy, banking, fiber, polymers, intermediates, commodities, trade, and investment sectors.
The oil firm created by Charles and David’s father was the family’s humble beginning. With a net worth of $46 billion, Charles is ranked 27th on Forbes’ list of billionaires. Julia Koch, David’s widow, has also been added to the Forbes list.
5. The Dumas (Hermes) Family
With a net worth of $11.6 billion, the Dumas (Hermes) Family of France ranks fifth among the world’s wealthiest families. The Hermes handbags, fragrances, neckties, and scarves, as well as the legendary Kelly and Berkin handbags, are all profitable for this French design firm.
Thierry Hermes began his career in the 19th century by designing equestrian riding equipment for the French nobility. In 1970, Jean-Louis Dumas’s remarkable achievement catapulted Hermes to the international spotlight. Hermes earned an incredible € 2.3 billion in 2019 after two centuries of service.
Hermes now serves to a wide range of royalty, including basketball legends such as LeBron James and others. Axel Dumas is the president and head of the board, while Pierre-Alexis Dumas is the artistic director.
6. The Al Saud Family
With a net worth of $100 billion derived from Saudi Aramco, the world’s largest oil company, this Saudi Royal Family ranks sixth among the world’s wealthiest.
In 1932, Abdulaziz Al Saud established the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. In less than a century, “The House of Saud,” which includes his descendants and about 15,000 extended family members, established various enterprises and secured lucrative government contracts, allowing them to amass a vast fortune.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) has a personal fortune estimated at $40 billion dollars at the age of 35. This Saudi royal family is known for lavish expenditures on gold and diamond automobiles, gold toilets, and falcon-chartered flights.
7. The Ambani Family
The Ambani family of India is ranked seventh, and it is the only Asian family to make the top ten wealthiest families list. According to reports, the company has a net worth of $94 billion, which it earned from oil mining and a variety of other consumer goods such as petrochemicals, textiles, and gas.
Dhirubhai Ambani launched a spice company in the 1950s and eventually founded Reliance Commercial Corporation, which later became Reliance Industries. This business tycoon began his career as a gas station attendant, but he defied his fate by establishing his own company.
Mukesh Ambani, the CEO of Reliance Industries, is ranked #10 on Forbes’ Billionaires list, while Anil Ambani oversees enterprises in entertainment, telecommunications, power generation, and asset management.
The latter unwinds in his 27-story palace, which sits on a 400,000 square-foot estate.
8. The Wertheimer Family
This French family, who owns the luxury fashion business Chanel, is ranked eighth with a net worth of $62 billion dollars. This powerhouse is famous for its No. 5 perfume, the “little black dress,” and Karl Lagerfeld, the late high-profile designer.
Coco Chanel, a Parisian fashion designer, made her mark in the industry. Pierre Wertheimer was the one who put his faith in her brand. Wertheimer continued her devotion after she died in 1971, and the namesake is still used today.
Alain and Gerhard Wertheimer, brothers, co-own the iconic corporation and are both recognized as billionaires on Forbes’ list of the world’s richest people, with a combined net worth of US $35 billion.
9. Johnson Family
The Johnson family of the United States comes in ninth place, with a net worth of $61 billion dollars derived from consumer goods and financial services. Glade Air Freshener, Ziplock bags, Windex, Shout, Saran wrap, and a variety of other items are among their most well-known.
Samuel Curtis “S.C.” Johnson began his initial endeavors in 1886 by starting a firm in Racine, Wisconsin. Edward C. Johnson II created Fidelity Investments, which is now one of the largest financial services organizations in the world, in 1946.
His granddaughter, Abigail Johnson, now controls the business. With a net worth of $21 billion, she is ranked 85th on Forbes’ list of billionaires.
10. Thomson Family
The Thomson Family of Canada is ranked 10th, with a net worth of $61 billion dollars derived from Thomson Reuters, a publishing and information corporation. They also own hotels and financial services organizations.
In the year 1930, Roy Thomson founded a radio station in Ontario, Canada, and eventually moved into newspaper publishing.
Roy Thomson, his grandson, is the current chairman of Thomson Reuters and is the 33rd richest person on Forbes’ billionaire list, with a net worth of $42 billion.