# The Rothschilds
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-rothschilds/725019
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [July 13, 2015, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-rothschilds/725019 "2015-07-13T04:47:22Z")
**Posts on this page:** 6
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@AppleFanboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AppleFanboy)
#### Post date: [July 13, 2015, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-rothschilds/725019/1 "2015-07-13T04:47:22Z")
The Rothschilds throughout history was known as the richest family. How come that whenever i look at Forbes list none of them are on there?
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### Author:  [@Robert163](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robert163)
#### Post date: [July 13, 2015, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-rothschilds/725019/2 "2015-07-13T04:58:49Z")
maybe they own forbes???
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### Author:  [@Flyer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flyer)
#### Post date: [July 13, 2015, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-rothschilds/725019/3 "2015-07-13T05:27:09Z")
It looks like a combination of (a) being secretive, (b) holding private investments, and (c) being a very large family. “The Rothschild’s wealth has been distributed amongst hundreds of heirs throughout the years, and has therefore diluted each individual’s personal fortune.”
> **[5 Lesser Known Facts about the Rothschild Family](https://www.therichest.com/rich-powerful/5-lesser-known-facts-about-the-rothschild-family/?view=all)**
>
> The Rothschild Family is one of the wealthiest families on the planet, and is a name that frequently pops up in a multitude of conspiracy theories. The Rothschild Family as we know it is descended fro
Now, those hundreds of people apparently make the greatly extended Rothschild family the richest family in the world. But probably only a few of those would actually be billionaires.
> **[How Rich Is The Rothschild Family?](https://www.celebritynetworth.com/articles/entertainment-articles/how-rich-is-the-rothschild-family/)**
>
> How rich is the Rothschild family? When you think of wealthy families, the name Rothschild is probably one of the first that springs to mind. Whether you call it a dynasty or an empire, the Rothschild legacy is impossible to miss. Now entering its...
> **[What happened to the wealth of the Rothschild family? Has it dwindled a lot?...](https://www.quora.com/What-happened-to-the-wealth-of-the-Rothschild-family-Has-it-dwindled-a-lot-If-not-why-didnt-any-of-them-appear-on-the-Forbes-list-of-wealthiest-people)**
>
> Answer (1 of 14): Of course, it has dwindled a lot! All banks have histories, only the Rothschilds, have a mythology. Wealth and power of Rothschilds was immense, not even biggest Wall-Street banks put together enjoys so much supremacy. They are...
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### Author:  [@Schnitte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Schnitte)
#### Post date: [July 13, 2015, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-rothschilds/725019/4 "2015-07-13T05:54:27Z")
> [@Flyer](#):
>
> (c) being a very large family. “The Rothschild’s wealth has been distributed amongst hundreds of heirs throughout the years, and has therefore diluted each individual’s personal fortune.”
This. In the early 19th century, members of the Rothschild family established banks in various cities in Europe, and after these generations there are now branches of the family tree with hundreds of individuals in different countries. The most important branches are the British and the French ones (the latter being very notable not only in banking but also in winemaking). The individual members of the family are certainly well off, but it’s not like all of the wealth is concentrated in a few hands.
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### Author:  [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)
#### Post date: [July 13, 2015, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-rothschilds/725019/5 "2015-07-13T06:42:34Z")
The Forbes List of 500 richest living persons is inconsistent; at least one living Rothschild almost definitely belongs on that list: the British banker and baron Jacob (Nathaniel Charles Jacob) Rothschild who’s hosted summit conferences, etc.
The Rothschilds tended to marry other Rothschilds, thus limiting family expansion. Nevertheless it’s been two centuries since the family was at the height of its fame and power, and dilution of wealth over time is normal. Closer to the present, the surnames Rockefeller, Vanderbilt, Carnegie, Astor and Mellon are all also missing from the Forbes List of 500. Families which do have multiple members on the present list include Walton, Koch and Mars.
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### Author:  [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)
#### Post date: [July 13, 2015, 8:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-rothschilds/725019/6 "2015-07-13T08:19:17Z")
> [@septimus](#):
>
> The Rothschilds tended to marry other Rothschilds, thus limiting family expansion. Nevertheless it’s been two centuries since the family was at the height of its fame and power, and dilution of wealth over time is normal. Closer to the present, the surnames Rockefeller, Vanderbilt, Carnegie, Astor and Mellon are all also missing from the Forbes List of 500. Families which do have multiple members on the present list include Walton, Koch and Mars.
I grew up with some of the modern-day Vanderbuilts. They owned some land left over from the family estates, and I assume there were some trust-funds somewhere, but judging by their houses and general life-style, they probably would’ve barely qualified as upper-middle class. That branch, anyways, seems to have diluted most of its wealth via large families and philanthropy.