What was the biggest family ever?

In terms of the numbers of made guys, what family was the biggest ever? And when was it the biggest in size?

Genovese would be my guess 1980 including alot of old retired guys probaly 300. Same could be said for the gambinos

Maybe 1960 would be 300 but alot of old guys died between 1958 to 1975 when the books were open again.

Most said that Gambinos in the 1960s had 400 made men and this explain the plot to kill don Carlo that file because joe colombo ratted on it.

Probably Joe Masseria's. I don't think the Genoveses or Gambinos had as many as 400 members, simply because it has never been proven and based on decades old guestimations. What we have are the numbers of the 1980s when they were still a powerhouse and I don't think these are that far off from the 1950s.

Agreed. He made a lot of guys before and during the CW. He was the first to make non-Sicilians like Frankie Yale (who's crew was a family in and of itself), Frank Castello and even Al Capone, who he allegedly made a capodecina with the authority to induct 10 men over in Chicago. So Joe the Boss had men all over the country.

so the max number is only 400 !?!?
if i am not mistaken i think i saw in some article in the past that lucky had around 600 made guys.

Its probaly 400 like they said wit joe the boss then got broken down to 300 250.

Great question. Enjoying this thread.

Joe Masseria definitely had hundreds of guys, whether they were all made is a question that may never be answered. I'm not sure what you mean with broken down because you cannot unmade guys once their members. Perhaps some were divided among other families, which could've also happened with Maranzano's family after he was killed.

Joe Valachi testified in the 60s that the Genovese family had around 450 men and that Gambino perhaps had the same. Vincent Cafaro testified in the 80s that the Genovese had approximately 400 men.

Then you've got Al D'Arco saying that the Genoveses and Gambinos were capped at (if I remember correctly) 250 men. Which really doesn't mix with what the others were saying.

Either way, I'd guess that the Genovese family was the biggest ever, with peak size being the 30s to the 60s.

300 each. The others 150.

I agree.

Reading about the old Castellamarese War, the number once given was Masseria 600 and Maranzano 500, if I correctly recall.

Probably the Duggar family.

Good one Oak

Perhaps that was their total manpower including allies among the other families?

Masseria had control over the Gambinos and Lucchesses, but within those families some alligned with Maranzano.

Wasn't the amount of made members of the Five Families in their golden years around 1000? These numbers correspond well.

Messeria is said by multiple accounts to have 600 made members (700 in other cities) according to informants before the split. The biggest at their peak after the formation is the Gambino family.