Five Families

The New York Mafia, the original Italian American Mafia of organized criminals, was first recognized in New York City in the United States in 1931.

The organized crime families are: Bonanno, Colombo, Gambino, Genovese and Lucchese.

History

The crime families originated out of New York City Sicilian Mafia gangs. They were formally organized in the summer of 1931 by Salvatore Maranzano after the April 15, 1931, murder of Giuseppe Masseria, in what has become known as the Castellammarese War. Maranzano also introduced the now-familiar Mafia hierarchy: boss (capofamiglia), underboss (sotto capo), advisor (consigliere), captain (caporegime), soldier (soldato), and associate; and declared himself capo di tutti capi (boss of bosses). By declaring himself "boss of bosses," Maranzano reneged on the deal he had made with Lucky Luciano. In that deal, it was agreed that after Luciano was to help murder Masseria, the two bosses were to be equals. When Maranzano was murdered just months after Masseria on September 10, 1931, the "boss of bosses" position was eliminated in favor of The Commission, a council which demarcated territory among the previously warring factions and governs American Mafia activities in the United States and Canada.

Five Families (The Godfather)

The Five Families are five major Mafia crime families in the novel and film The Godfather. The families are based on the real life New York Five Families, five major Italian American crime families.

The Five Families

The Corleones

The Dons of the Corleone family:

The Tattaglias

The Dons of the Tattaglia family:

The Barzinis

The Dons of the Barzini family:

The Cuneos

The Dons of the Cuneo family:

The Straccis

The Dons of the Stracci family: