The richest person who ever lived had unimaginable wealth. Inside the world's wealthiest.

Clare Mulroy, USA TODAY
Updated ·3 min read
Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla and founder of SpaceX, is the richest person alive.

When it comes to wealth, there’s a scale for everything. What constitutes “wealthy” today may be very different from what it meant to be rich a century ago. As inflation increases the cost of living, the number of billionaires is increasing as well.

In 2021, Forbes reported 2,755 billionaires worldwide. The 2021 list added a record high of nearly 500 new billionaires from 2020. The United States had 724 billionaires in 2021, the most in the world, while China had 698 and India 237.

Does that mean the richest person ever alive is among us today?

Who was the richest person ever?

The richest person ever is thought to have been an emperor with an accumulation of wealth often described as “unimaginable” or “incalculable.” The title goes to 14th-century African emperor Mansa Musa, and his wealth has been estimated to be the modern day equivalent of $400 billion.

Musa ruled the Mali Empire beginning in 1312, at a time where gold and salt resources helped the empire expand and flourish. Musa and the empire owned almost half of the Old World’s gold, BBC reports. Musa is credited for funding and encouraging literature, education, architecture and the arts.

According to History.com, Musa showed the true size of his wealth on a pilgrimage to Mecca, surrounded by tens of thousands of soldiers and slaves carrying mass amounts of gold. He left behind gifts of gold as he crossed through Egypt, a gift generous in thought but not in actuality. The precious resource actually decreased the value of metal and had a disastrous impact on the economy for over a decade.

Who was the first billionaire?

John D. Rockefeller became the world’s first billionaire by measurable dollars. The Standard Oil Company founder became a billionaire in 1916 and was worth about 2% of the national economy. According to Forbes, the Rockefeller family’s wealth stood at $8.4 billion as of 2020. The fortune is spread out among over 70 heirs.

Who is the richest person in the world?

Elon Musk is the richest person in the world once again – he's back in the top spot after LVMH CEO Bernard Arnault and his family overtook the title in December 2022 when Tesla stock dropped. As of January 2024, Musk's net worth is about $230 billion, according to Forbes.

More on the world's richest: Arnault, Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos net worth estimates

Who is the richest family in the world?

Despite an $11 billion loss in July 2022 after Walmart’s earnings fell, the Walton family is still the wealthiest family in the world with a net worth of nearly $200 billion, Insider reports. Sam Walton was the founder of Walmart and left behind his legacy and wealth to his three children and their families.

Coming in close behind the Walton family for the title of the world’s richest family is the Mars family with an estimated wealth of $142 billion and the Koch family at $124 billion, according to Investopedia.

Just Curious for more? We've got you covered

USA TODAY is exploring the questions you and others ask every day. From "Is black tea good for you?" to "What is the Nobel Prize?" to "What is the highest paying job?" – we're striving to find answers to the most common questions you ask every day. Head to our Just Curious section to see what else we can answer for you.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Who was the richest person ever? Inside their 'unimaginable' wealth.

  • Up next
  • Up next
  • Up next
  • Up next

Latest Stories

  • The Body Shop Canada explores sale as demand outpaces inventory: court filing

    TORONTO — The Body Shop Canada is exploring a sale as it struggles to get its hands on enough inventory to keep up with "robust" sales the retailer landed after announcing it would file for creditor protection and close 33 stores. In an April 8 affidavit filed in a Toronto court on Monday, the head of the retailer's Canadian operations said he has seen a "sufficient level of interest" in the business from parties to believe the company should pursue a sale. Jordan Searle did not name who is inte

  • Greek left-wing leader mocked after claiming ‘divine’ cross appeared during his baptism

    Greece’s Left-wing opposition leader has been mocked for claiming a divine cross appeared during his baptism as an infant.

  • OPINION - It’s great Brixton Academy is reopening, but they owe it to London to get it right

    It’s vital that lasting lessons have been learned after two people tragically died in a crush outside a concert at the venue 16 months ago – such a disaster must never happen again

  • CHIPS President explains why she became a volunteer in Wetaskiwin

    Around three years ago, when Desiree Graham started her new journey in the City of Wetaskiwin, she tried to find ways to connect with locals! She found her passion in taking care of kids in the city. That’s how Graham landed her new volunteer position as a board member for the Children Indoor Playground Society (CHIPS) in Wetaskiwin. “I was looking at ways to socialize with other adults, as when you have a day home and you don’t have children of your own, you kind of feel a little bit isolated,”

  • Injured Toronto FC star Lorenzo Insigne back running but still some weeks away

    TORONTO — There was a welcome sighting of Toronto FC star Lorenzo Insigne running with a trainer Friday while the rest of the team warmed up before training on a damp day at BMO Field. But the former Napoli captain, who has not played since March 23 when he hobbled off the field with a hamstring injury in first-half stoppage time of the 2-0 win over visiting Atlanta United, is still some weeks away. Toronto hosts the New England Revolution on Saturday. "I'd like to frighten New England and say h

  • Melania Trump gives rare interview stressing ‘unity’ as her husband faces hush money trial

    Former first lady attends event with GOP LGBT+ group the Log Cabin Republicans

  • 'A life skill': Niagara Falls High School stresses financial literacy importance

    The first cohort of Niagara Falls High School students who took required financial literacy classes will be graduating soon — creating an opportunity to showcase the importance of money management.

  • Man sets himself on fire in protest area outside Trump trial

    A man has set himself on fire outside the courthouse in New York where former US President Donald Trump is on trial. The man was in the designated protest area outside the courthouse. It comes after jury selection for Trump's hush money trial concluded with 12 people, and six alternatives, chosen to decide whether the former US president covered up payments to women who alleged they had affairs with him.

  • Primary school teacher accused of murdering her boyfriend revealed ‘alter ego’ in journal entries, court told

    Fiona Beal admits killing her partner Nicholas Billingham but denies it was murder as court told she hid his body in a ‘de facto coffin’

  • Person rushed away on a stretcher after fire extinguished outside Trump hush money trial

    Person rushed away on a stretcher after fire extinguished outside Trump hush money trial

  • AI Chip Leader Arm Stock Dives Below A Key Support Level, Is It A Buy Right Now?

    AI chip stock Arm Holdings surged more than 152% past a recent buy point. Following that advance, is Arm stock a buy in today's stock market?

  • The Latest | Full jury of 12 people and 6 alternates seated in Trump’s hush money trial

    NEW YORK (AP) — A jury of 12 people and six alternates was seated on Friday in former President Donald Trump’s hush money criminal case. The completion of jury selection sets the stage for opening statements in the first-ever criminal trial of a former U.S. president to begin Monday, as well as weeks of testimony in a case charging Trump with falsifying business records to suppress stories about his sex life emerging in the final days of the 2016 election. The jury includes a sales professional,

  • I gave my 9-year-old a smartphone – here’s why

    When Sarah Janes’ daughter asked her for a smartphone at the tender age of six, the mother-of-one from Bedford pushed back with some force. As an IT expert, she was well aware of a phone’s addictive qualities and the harmful impact the devices can have on a young person’s mood, sleeping patterns and brain development.

  • Knicks and 76ers got past injuries that could've ruined them. Now they meet in playoffs

    GREENBURGH, N.Y. (AP) — Jalen Brunson and his New York teammates refused to let injuries knock them down. Joel Embiid of Philadelphia wouldn't let his keep him down. It was just days apart in January when the Knicks and 76ers were rocked by what could have been season-swinging blows. The Knicks were rolling through teams during one of the best months in franchise history when starting forwards Julius Randle and OG Anunoby went out of the lineup on the same day. Both needed surgery, with the All-

  • Man sets himself on fire outside Trump trial court

    A man set himself on fire outside the New York courtroom where a full jury had been selected to hear Donald Trump’s hush money trial only moments before.

  • Germany coach Nagelsmann extends contract through 2026 World Cup. Bayern left still searching

    BERLIN (AP) — Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann has extended his contract by two years, taking him beyond the upcoming European Championship and through the 2026 World Cup. It also rules out Nagelsmann returning to Bayern Munich, which is looking for a new coach for next season after deciding to part ways with Thomas Tuchel at the end of this season. Nagelsmann was the reported favorite following Xabi Alonso’s decision to stay with Bayer Leverkusen. Bayern has to look elsewhere after two high-prof

  • Trump’s hush money trial jury is set. Here’s why we won’t learn much about them.

    The jury that will decide whether Donald Trump is guilty of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records is made up of seven men and five women who live in Manhattan.

  • Toronto FC, New England looking to turn the tide after disappointing showings

    Toronto FC and the New England Revolution are both looking to climb out of a hole when they meet Saturday at BMO Field. After a promising start under John Herdman, injury-depleted Toronto (3-4-1) has lost three straight while being outscored 10-3. New England (1-5-1) made it as far as the quarterfinals of the CONCACAF Champions Cup but has found league wins hard to come by under new coach Caleb Porter. Porter sees some similarities with Toronto. "There's a transition that their club's going thro

  • Logan Webb keeps spinning, Mike Trout is fully back, Mets city connect uniform released

    Jake Mintz & Jordan Shusterman discuss the rough debut from Jack Leiter, Logan Webb continuing to absolutely spin for the Giants, discuss things they love & hate, give their good, bad and Uggla for the week and react to the new Mets city connect uniforms.

  • Israel’s measured strike on Iran sends a deliberately mixed message to the world

    The message sent by Israel’s limited military strike on Iran depends entirely on where you sit – and that “ambiguity” is very much intentional.