Have you ever been curious about who the richest families in the world are (and perhaps a little envious you weren’t born into them)? Some people can work hard and cultivate a fortune with their lifetime of effort. Some others can win the jackpot, or launch a start-up business which completely hits the spot. But there are also some others who were simply born with a silver spoon in their mouths.
This is the case of those personalities who carry quite some reputation, and just by hearing their names, everyone knows who that person might be. These are frequently members of wealthy families, which have had money for decades, even centuries. Rich families leave to each succeeding generation a pretty large sum, and some family members go on to increase those fortunes.
Nevertheless, some rich personalities aren’t members of wealthy families. Some of the 10 Self-Made Billionaires Who Came From Nothing reveal that in some cases it isn’t necessary to be born within a rich family as to amass a fortune. There are some billionaires who were once dirt poor, and managed to climb up to the top of the peak with their fortunes.
This time, we’ve gathered some information regarding those family names which immediately ring a bell when heard. These are richest families in the world. Some are royalty; others are traditional bankers, and others, just families which have done good business for a long time.
Take a look at our list featuring the richest families in the world, and find out which are the wealthiest and luckiest heirs in the world!
No. 6 David Thomson and family – $20.3 billion
This family has been in the media information business for quite some time, and owns 55% of the media information company Thomson Reuters. Moreover, they have a private holding company called Woodbridge, which is controlled by David Thomson and his brother Peter Thomson. David Thomson is the active chair of all of these firms, and coordinates as well the Globe and Mail newspaper in Canada.
No. 5 Michele Ferrero and family – $20.4 billion
Pietro Ferrero founded a chocolate business. After he died in 1950, one of his sons, Michele Ferrero took over the business and expanded it. Michele managed to turn Ferrero into one of the largest confectionery makers globally. Ferrero produces some of the most popular chocolate products worldwide, such as Ferrero Rocher chocolates and Nutella. Michele’s son Pietro Ferrero is currently the Chief Executive Officer of the entire Ferrero Group.
No. 4 Christy Walton and family – $28.2 billion
The Waltons are one of the wealthiest families in America. Sam Walton co-founded Wal-Mart, and after he died, the business was taken over by his son John Walton. In 2005, John died in an airplane crash, and left Christy Walton, his wife, in charge of the business. Wal-Mart dividends were inherited by Christy, a sum of $430 million. Together they own 50.9% of the stocks of Wal-Mart, and this makes them the largest shareholder and decision maker in the company. The combined fortune of this family is huge, and the total net worth can be compared to some small country’s GDP.
No. 3 Bernard Arnault and family – $29 billion
This family owns not only the luxury line Moet Hennessy Luis Vuitton but also Christian Dios. Bernard Arnault is currently the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of these companies. His family awoke some controversy a few years back past years, because of a somewhat obscure move to gain citizenship in Belgium. Yet this didn’t greatly affect hisreputation, and Arnault was knighted in the United Kingdom.
No. 2 Liliane Bettencourt and family – $30 billion
This family has had money for more than a century. They inherited a large fortune from the family patriarch. Liliane, oldest family member, is 90 years old, and is thought to be the richest woman in the world. Liliane’s grandson Jean-Victor replaces her on the board of the family business, L’Oreal. The mental state of Liliane has been questioned over the past years, and she has been seen spending recklessly. But then, what exactly constitutes recklessly when you have a $30 billion fortune?
No. 1 Carlos Slim Helu and family – $73 billion
With the largest fortune within a family, Carlos Slim Helu is the head of the richest family in the world. They are the owners of Grupo Financiero Inbursa, a financial company, and Grupo Carso, an industrial and retail firm. Moreover, they own America Movil, have stakes in KPN, Netherlands and Telekom Austria. Currently, the companies are being driven by Carlos’ sons: Marco Antonio and Patrick.
