A Sneak Peek Into America’s Wealthiest Sons And Daughters

By: Stephen Thompson | Last updated: Nov 17, 2023

Money may not buy happiness, but it can certainly purchase a life of luxury and privilege. Many people in America have built huge fortunes through their own hard work and persistence. However, some people were born into fortune. These are the heirs and heiresses who inherited their family riches and continue to live lives of incredible wealth and privilege. 

So, join us as we take a deeper look at some of America’s wealthiest heirs and heiresses. From trust fund babies to business tycoons, get ready to meet some of the country’s wealthiest people and see how they live their lives of luxury.

Alexander Soros

Alex Soros is the son of billionaire businessman and philanthropist George Soros. He is worth $20 billion, and he inherited his wealth from his father. He has a Ph.D. from UC Berkeley and has published essays in Politico, The Guardian, and The Forward. 

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He is a philanthropist and environmental activist. He also makes gifts to help initiatives to stop the destruction of the Amazon rainforest and improve the working conditions of overseas domestic servants.

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Amanda Hearst

Amanda Hearst is not your average socialite. She is the heiress to the Hearst Corporation and a model but also a devoted campaigner for animal rights. Friends of Finn is a charity dedicated to eradicating puppy mills and improving the lives of dogs.

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Hearst is a distant relative of George Hearst, the gold mogul whose business exploits inspired the HBO series Deadwood. She is worth a whopping sum of $100 million, and she inherited her wealth from the Hearst Corporation.

Jake Gyllenhaal

Jake Gyllenhaal comes from a family of Hollywood insiders. His father is the director Stephen Gyllenhaal, and his sister is the actress Maggie Gyllenhaal. Jake began acting as a child and went on to appear in famous films such as October Sky and Brokeback Mountain. 

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With a filmmaker father and many industry connections, it’s no surprise Jake has had such a great career in Hollywood. Jake is worth $65 million, and he inherited his wealth from his father. 

Brooke Shields

Brooke is worth $25 million and is the heir to Frank Shields’ fortune. A former child model turned actress, Shields grew up in Manhattan.

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She received recognition for her performance in Louis Malle’s film Pretty Baby, and she went on to feature in subsequent dramas while continuing her modeling career. She is best recognized for her parts in the films The Blue Lagoon and Endless Love from the 1980s. 

Kate Hudson

Kate Hudson is an Oscar-nominated actress, and her mother is superstar Goldie Hawn. Kate began performing at the age of eleven. She has appeared in various films, including the critically acclaimed Almost Famous, for which she received a Golden Globe and an Oscar nomination. 

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She also owns her own fashion line, Fabletics. While Kate has clearly made her own riches, she is also expected to inherit a sizable sum from her mother. She is worth $80 million.

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Anderson Cooper

Anderson Cooper is a television personality born in New York City and a member of the Vanderbilt family. He attended Yale University and began his career as a fact-checker for Channel One before rising to his current position as the host of CNN’s popular news show Anderson Cooper 360.

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He also had a brief modeling career, working for Calvin Klein and Ralph Lauren, and Harper’s Bazaar. He is worth 110 million dollars and received his fortune from his mother, Gloria Vanderbilt.

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Dakota Johnson

Dakota Johnson is an actress and model renowned for her role as Anastasia in the Fifty Shades of Grey film trilogy. She was born in Austin, Texas, and now calls Los Angeles home.

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She has other credits, such as Suspiria, The Social Network, and 21 Jump Street. She is the heir to 14 million dollars left to her by her father, Don Johnson.

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Billie Lourd

Billie Lourd is an actress and the late Carrie Fisher’s daughter, who was best known for her part in the Star Wars saga. Bryan Lourd, her father, is a famous Hollywood talent agent. She is also the late Debbie Reynolds’ grandchild. Lourd has appeared on television shows such as Scream Queens and American Horror Story.

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She stands to receive a sizable fortune as the daughter of two Hollywood legends. She has a net worth of 25 million dollars which she inherited from her mother, Carrie Fisher.

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Scarlett Johansson

Scarlett Johansson is one of Hollywood’s brightest actresses right now. Her father is a successful Danish architect, and her mother is a film producer. Despite her well-connected parents, Scarlett has established her value over the years with her remarkable acting skills and dedication to her job.

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She’s appeared in big-budget blockbusters like The Avengers and has a net worth of $140 million, which she inherited from her parents.

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Kyra Sedgwick

Kyra Sedgwick may be a well-known actress now, but you might be surprised to find that she was born into an affluent family. Her father, Henry Dwight Sedgwick V, was a well-known venture financier. 

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But Kyra carved her own path in the entertainment industry, beginning with a position on the soap opera Another World when she was just 16 years old.  She is worth $16 million, which she inherited from Robert Sedgwick.

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Olivia Wilde

Olivia Wilde is well-known for her acting abilities and activist activities, but did you know she’s also an heiress? Wilde, who was born in New York City, began her career on television before moving on to movies. 

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She’s appeared on prominent shows like House and in films like Tron: Legacy and Rush, among others. Because of her talent and the financial support of her family, the actress is now reported to be worth $20 million. 

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Nicky Hilton

Nicky Hilton is a well-known name in the world of fashion and business. She is Paris Hilton’s younger sister and is worth 20 million as an heir to the Hilton Hotel fortune. Nicky has made her mark in the fashion industry with her successful Nicholai handbag line.

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She has also worked with other brands and has appeared during New York Fashion Week. Nicky is a hardworking businesswoman who does not rely on her family’s riches to thrive.

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Lydia Hearst-Shaw

Lydia Hearst Shaw is a Connecticut-based model, blogger, and heiress. She is the renowned abduction victim Patty Hearst’s daughter, and she has earned a reputation for herself in the fashion industry as a runway model and brand ambassador for major design firms.

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She even created her own handbag brand for Puma French 77. She inherited 28 billion dollars from William Randolph Hearst. 

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Chevy Chase

Chevy Chase is a comedian and actor best known for his roles in classic films such as Caddyshack and Fletch, as well as his tenure on NBC’s Saturday Night Live. Chevy, who was born to a book editor and concert pianist, inherited some of his family’s fortune and is now reported to be worth $50 million.

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Despite stepping away from the spotlight in recent years, Chevy’s contributions to American comedy and entertainment have left an enduring legacy.

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Shannon LaNier

Thomas Jefferson was a founding father of the United States, yet his past is fraught with controversy. Shannon LaNier, a Houston TV personality, is Jefferson’s sixth great-grandson.

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He is not the wealthiest heir, but his family’s history and relationships are notorious. As a Jefferson family member, he inherited close to $5 million.

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Balthazar Getty

Balthazar Getty is a musician, producer, and actor who inherited a sum of 200 million dollars from Getty oil. He is a member of the rap duo The Wow and the band Ringside and has produced music for both. 

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He also appeared in films and cult masterpieces such as Lord of the Flies and The Lunchbox Fund. Despite his wealth, he uses his resources to make a constructive difference.

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Eve Jobs

Eve Jobs, the daughter of Steve Jobs and Lauren Powell-Jobs, is a student at Stanford University, where her parents originally met. While not much is known about her, she is an accomplished equestrian and the heir to Jobs’ $20 billion fortune.

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Despite her limited social media presence, she has publicly supported her father’s philosophical approach to life by posting his quotes on Instagram.

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Susan Alice Buffett

Susan Alice Buffett, the daughter of Warren Buffett, has amassed a fortune through shares in her father’s investment firm Berkshire Hathaway and is a philanthropist. 

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She runs the Sherwood Foundation, which distributes grants to children from low-income households and serves on the boards of organizations such as Girls, Inc. and the Buffett Early Childhood Institute. Her father left her a fortune of $3 billion.

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Victoria Mars

Victoria Mars is a fourth-generation descendant of the Mars family, with a net worth of 6.6 billion dollars due to her 8% stake in Mars, Inc. She worked her way up in the company after receiving her BA from Yale University and MBA from The Wharton School.

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She also established the Livelihood Funds, which promotes sustainable resources for agriculture in Africa. Her success reflects the Mars family’s long history in the confectionery industry.

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Clare Bronfman

Clare Bronfman, the heir to the Seagram Liquor business, has had a successful equestrian career. She began competing in equestrianism at the age of 17 and has won several high-level competitions, including the Grand Prix and the Samsung Nations Cup. 

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Her father, Edgar Bronfman, Sr., created Seagram, which was subsequently purchased by Coca-Cola. She is worth $500 million, which she received from Seagrams. 

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Lisa Jobs

Steve Jobs, the late CEO of Apple, was the father of Lisa Jobs. She was educated at Harvard University and was born in Portland, Oregon. She was the child of Steve Jobs and Chrisann Brennan, his first wife, who became pregnant during their relationship. 

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Despite having a tense connection in her early years, Jobs and his daughter eventually made up. Lisa received 18.8 billion from Apple Inc. after Jobs’ death.

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Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift is a Grammy Award-winning singer and songwriter who has found success and notoriety worldwide. Her music is noted for its cross-genre appeal, spanning from country to pop to soft rock.

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She is particularly known for her intimate romantic experiences, which are often the focus of media attention. She received a significant inheritance from her mother, Andrea Swift, and is estimated to be worth $320 million.

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Chloe Green

Chloe Green is the daughter of Sir Phillip Green, the CEO of TopShop and Arcadia Group. She has received media attention due to her relationship with her partner and appearances on Made in Chelsea. 

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Her lavish lifestyle is showcased on social media, and she is worth 4.9 billion dollars, which she inherited from TopShop.

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Haley Busch

Haley Busch, daughter of Anheuser-Busch brewery mogul Billy Busch, is an heiress to one of the world’s greatest beer businesses and also an actress and polo champion.  She was born in West Palm Beach and raised in St. Louis, and she attended Sacred Heart School. 

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In addition, she frequently visits her family’s farm, which was originally owned by former President Ulysses S. Grant. She is worth $1.5 billion, which she received from her father.

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Megan Ellison

Megan Ellison, a film producer, is known for her contributions to modern cinema through the production of some of the most intriguing films, including Zero Dark Thirty and Her. She has been nominated for Oscars for practically all of these films, and she was even named to TIME’s “Most Influential” list. 

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Ellison is the daughter of Oracle Corporation chairman Larry Ellison and earned her education at USC. She is worth 60 million dollars, which she received from Oracle.

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Lynsi Snyder

Lynsi Snyder inherited the In-N-Out Burger fortune, making her a wealthy Californian. Her grandfather, Harry Snyder, established the burger restaurant in 1948. Snyder took over and became the primary owner of In-N-Out Burger at the age of 35. 

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Snyder is also well-known for her philanthropy, having started Healing Hearts & Nations, an organization that provides counseling services to African and Indian communities. She received a 3 billion dollar inheritance from the burger franchise.

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Whitney Kroenke Burditt

Whitney Kroenke Burditt is a Los Angeles native and heiress to the Walmart wealth through her grandpa, James Walton, a founding partner of the retail company. Her parents are Ann Walton and Stan Kroenke, and she attended Northwestern University.  

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She started the nonprofit Playing for Change, which strives to build music and art schools in disadvantaged communities across the world. She is presently the executive director of the nonprofit. She is worth 2.6 billion dollars, which she received from Sam Walton.

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Dylan Lauren

Dylan Lauren is a successful entrepreneur and heiress from New York City. Her father founded the famed fashion firm, Ralph Lauren. Dylan’s entrepreneurial experience began when she opened Dylan’s Candy Bar, which is now known as the world’s largest candy store. 

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Dylan has been leading the firm for eighteen years with her father’s direction and has successfully expanded it into a global brand. Dylan has followed in her father’s footsteps and is expected to inherit an astounding $4 billion when the firm is passed on to her.

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Cindy McCain

Cindy McCain, who was born in Phoenix, Arizona, is a wealthy entrepreneur and philanthropist. She inherited her riches from Hensley & Co., a beer distribution company. She began her career as a special education teacher before finally taking over as chair of Hensley & Co. upon her father’s death.

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She has served on different boards for overseas aid and continues to donate to humanitarian projects throughout the United States. She is worth $200 million.

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