The Genovese and Gambino families have always been the #1 and #2 families since the beginning. They were always much bigger, wealthier, and more powerful than the other three NY families.

The Genovese have always been #1. Though for a time, perhaps from the 1960's to the early 1990's, the Gambinos could be argued to be #1A, as they rivaled the Genovese in many ways.

The Luccheses, Colombos, and Bonannos have fluctuated in the #3, #4, and #5 spots at different points.

During the 1990's, the Bonannos would have been #3. Before that it was the Luccheses going back to maybe the 1960's. I don't think the Colombos have ever been as high as #3. Maybe the highest they were was #4 at certain times.


Note: I'm aware that the FBI had the Bonannos at #2 in the late 1990's but it's one of the very rare times where I question them. While it could be argued the Bonanno were more stable and smooth running at the time, the Gambinos were still a much larger, more expansive, and more diverse organization.