Richest Family in the World
The Walton Family is arguably the richest family in the world (the dispersed fortunes of the Rockefellers and the like being unknown to the public), their wealth inherited from Bud and Sam Walton, founders of the world's largest retailer, Wal-Mart. The five most prominent members ( Jim, John (d.2005), Rob, Alice, and Helen ) have consistently been in the top ten of the Forbes 400 since 2001, although Helen dropped to #11 in 2006, probably due at least in part to her extensive philanthropy.... Sign in to see full entry.