The Wealthiest American Dynasties, Ranked

For more than 200 years, the du Pont family has symbolized American industrial power and prestige. Beginning in 1802 with E.I. du Pont’s gunpowder mill on the banks of the Brandywine River, the family grew its business into a sprawling chemical empire.

Over time, their influence stretched beyond industry, shaping philanthropy, politics, and American high society. Though the family relinquished direct corporate control in the 1960s, their impact remains deep. Today, the du Pont legacy lives on through a $14.3 billion fortune, shared among an estimated 3,500 descendants across generations.