Accounting for inflation, only three of the world’s wealthiest people ever to live are actually alive today. Surprisingly, many of the world’s wealthiest people were alive a long time ago and today’s entrepreneurs and heirs are nowhere near as wealthy as certain figures from the past if they were alive today. Notably absent from the list are monarchs, as their vast fortunes are considered public fortunes rather than private ones. That said, here are the 20 wealthiest people who ever lived.
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Carlos Slim
One of the only men still alive on this list, Carlos Slim just makes it onto the list with an estimated net worth of $61.8 billion. The vast majority of his fortune is from his holdings in the Latin American company America Movil, a major telecom company. However, he has interest in many corporations and other business ventures that have helped him to accumulate his impressive wealth.
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Warren Buffett
Again, he’s only one of three men still alive today on this list. Worth just over $63.9 billion, Mr. Buffett makes most of his fortune from wise investments in every form. He’s vowed to make it his personal goal to give away 99 percent of his wealth to charities and other endeavors rather than to leave it to any heirs.
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Sam Walton
Allowing for inflation, the founder of Walmart stores would be worth $64.5 billion if he were alive today. His fortune obviously comes from founding the biggest superstore in the nation – and some parts of the world. Walton’s four children, as the company continues to grow, are worth approximately $20 billion each.
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Marshall Field
With a peak fortune of $66.1 billion adjusted for inflation, the retail store founder is one of the wealthiest people ever to live. He founded Marshall Field and Co. in Chicago during the Civil War and the store became one of the most famous chains in existence. His vast fortune way back then would be worth this staggering amount today.
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Stephen Van Rensselaer
Worth $68.5 billion in today’s economic climate, Van Rensselaer was an heir to one of the biggest estates in the US. He was a Major in the US Militia, a member of the New York State Assembly and he founded the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute using his wealth. This alone makes him one of the wealthiest men dead or alive.
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Jay Gould
He’s known as the mastermind behind the 19th century transportation boom in the United States. He was a railroad baron and gold speculator in the 19th century, whose worth would be around $71.2 billion today. In partnering with James Fisk, Gould bought a majority share of the gold market at that time. This directly affected the market movements at the time, helping Gould accumulate his substantial wealth.
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Henry Duke of Lancaster
Worth $77.5 billion today, the Duke of Lancaster was an English diplomat, soldier, noble, and one of the founding members of something called the Order of the Garter. He also wears the title of being a patron of Corpus Christi College in Cambridge. Today, people remember him most for his peace talks with France.
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Frederick Weyerhaeuser
With a peak fortune of $79.4 billion today, the founder of the Weyerhaeuser Company is one of the wealthiest men ever to live. His company is one of the largest timber companies in the country. He founded his business after making the trip to American from Germany back in the 19th century.
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A.T. Stewart
He was an entrepreneur from America whose peak net worth is $88.9 billion. He was the first founder of the first department store ever to be located in Manhattan. Over the years, his business expanded and caused him to make more money than many of the people who are alive today, when it’s even easier than ever to make a fortune.
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John of Gaunt
With an adjusted net worth of $101 billion, he was Richard II’s regent. During the latter portion of his rule, he fathered Henry Bolingbroke. His son would be exiled and eventually make his way back to depose Richard II and become the ruler of the English throne. He’s also a character in many of Shakespeare’s works.
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Stephen Girard
His wealth from his life was adjusted to equal $105 billion today. This French-born American made his fortune in trade and shipping. Later in his life, he opened a bank. He named it Girard’s Bank and continued to grow his fortune with his entrepreneurship. This makes it possible for him to make it into the top 10 wealthiest men ever to live.
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Richard Fitzalan 10th Earl of Arundel
Aside from his role as the Earl of Arundel, he’s also a military leader. He’s also worth $108 billion today. His son’s would go onto inherit his fortune and make it onto the top of the list of the wealthiest men ever to live, but there’s no sense in counting the same money twice. This is a man who fought hard for his money, and should get the credit. He led the military in both the Scottish Independence Wars and the 100 Years’ War.
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John Jacob Astor
Worth $121 billion today, this successful fur trader is one of the richest men ever to live. After he monopolized the fur trading industry in the United States, this wealthy man decided to switch trades. He traded in his fur to make his name in the real estate investment business. He spent his time in New York City real estate, only adding to his vast fortune.
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William de Warenne
Worth $134 billion, he participated in the Battle of Hastings. He was then rewarded with land in Yorkshire, Sussex, and Northfolk for his efforts. He was also named the Earl of Surrey – the first ever. His money was earned in many different trades, including battle, earl-ship and real estate.
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Bill Gates
The founder of Microsoft is the final living man on the list of wealthiest men ever to live. He’s also the sixth in line in terms of wealth. With a net worth of $136 billion, holding onto his shares of Microsoft was one of the best decisions he ever made. Though his co-founder of Microsoft, Paul Allen, is noticeably absent from the list of wealthiest men ever to live.
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Alan Rufus
His fortune would equate to $149 billion today. He was joined by William the Conqueror when Britain was invaded in the 11th century. They called him Alan the Red, for reasons unknown. However, during his life he was the owner of nearly 250,000 acres of land between London and Yorkshire, as well as Richmond Castle in North Yorkshire.
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Cornelius Vanderbilt
Worth nearly $185 billion today, the first of the Vanderbilt’s to make his fortune did so in the railroad industry. It was 1862 when he began to purchase railroads, even though he was already 70 years old. Before he began to buy railroads, however, he was a steamboat entrepreneur.
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William the Conqueror
His vast fortune would be worth more than $209 billion today. He did eventually become a monarch, but before that he made his fortune before the war and his overtaking of the throne. He was known as a bastard until he was the successful leader of the last invasion of England back in 1066.
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Andrew Carnegie
The Carnegie’s are known as the head of the US Steel Empire for good reason. Andrew Carnegie’s fortune would be worth $309 billion today, thanks to his savvy decision to invest in the steel business back when the industry was hot and the market was booming. His wealth is carried on today thanks to his heirs and their contributions to society and business ventures.
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John D. Rockefeller
The richest man ever to live is yet another man whose name is on a stately New York landmark. Today, his fortune amounts to $336 billion. William the Conqueror and Bill Gates would have to team up their funds to even touch this man’s considerable net worth. His money came from the fact that he founded Standard Oil back in 1870, when he was only 31 years of age. Buying most of the oil refineries in the country led him to control approximately 90 percent of this profitable business.
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