Search results
People also ask
Who was the richest American in history?
Who is the richest person in history?
How rich are the 400 Richest Americans?
Who was the wealthiest American at the time of his death?
Business magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller is widely considered the wealthiest American in history. Most sources agree that, adjusting for inflation, John D. Rockefeller (1839–1937) was the richest man in the United States.
- John D. Rockefeller (1839-1937) > 2022 estimated net worth: $291.8 billion. John D. Rockefeller was the first American billionaire, and to this day, he is by far the wealthiest American of all time.
- Cornelius Vanderbilt (1794-1877) > 2022 estimated net worth: $236.4 billion. Cornelius Vanderbilt is one of just two Americans who amassed a fortune that was worth over $236 billion in 2022 dollars.
- Elon Musk (1971-present) > 2022 estimated net worth: $207.0 billion. Elon Musk was born in South Africa, before moving to Canada at 17, then to the U.S. to study at the University of Pennsylvania, eventually becoming a U.S. citizen.
- Sam Walton (1918-1992) > 2022 estimated net worth: $194.6 billion. Sam Walton is one of the most successful businessmen of all time, taking Walmart from a small discount store in Arkansas into the largest retailer in the world.
- Jacob Davidson
- Mansa Musa. Abraham Cresques—Getty Images/The Bridgeman Art Library. Year: 1280–1337. Country: Mali. Wealth: Richer than anyone could describe. Mansa Musa, the king of Timbuktu, is often referred to as the wealthiest person in history.
- Augustus Caesar. Hoberman Collection—UIG via Getty Images. Lived: 63 BC–14 AD. Country: Rome. Wealth: $4.6 trillion. Not only was Augustus Caesar in charge of an empire that accounted for 25% to 30% of the world’s economic output, but according to Stanford history professor Ian Morris, Augustus at one point held personal wealth equivalent to one-fifth of his empire’s economy.
- Emperor Shenzong. Pictures from History—Bridgeman Images. Lived: 1048–1085. Country: China. Wealth: Ruled empire with 25% to 30% of global GDP.
- Akbar I. The Great Akbar. Peter Newark Pictures—Bridgeman Images. Lived: 1542–1605. Country: India. Wealth: Ruled empire with 25% of global GDP. The greatest emperor of India’s Mughal dynasty, Akbar controlled an empire that accounted for about one-fourth of global economic output.
The Forbes 400 Richest Americans list has been published annually since 1982. The combined net worth of the 2020 class of the 400 richest Americans was $3.2 trillion, up from $2.7 trillion in 2017. [1] As of March 2023, there were 735 billionaires in the United States. [2]
Jun 1, 2014 · The richest Americans in history. By Steve Hargreaves @hargreavesCNN June 2, 2014: 6:18 PM ET. 1. John D. Rockefeller. 1 of 20. Adjusted wealth*: $253 billion. Lived: 1839-1937. Rockefeller...
Feb 9, 2023 · John Davison Rockefeller Sr. (July 8, 1839 – May 23, 1937) earns the spot, having amassed an estimated $900 million in 1913, which is worth US$24.7 billion today. His personal wealth was also 3% of the US GDP of $39.1 billion in 1913.
Dec 24, 2019 · Comparatively, the current richest person in America is Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon with a net worth of $107.8 billion. According to Forbes’ magazine, the first three richest men alive on earth today are Jeff Bezos, Bill Gates, and Warren Buffet.
