The world of organized crime is complicated, and yet gangs exist in nearly all parts of the world. While the oldest recorded gang we could find has been around since the 1600s, it’s likely gangs existed long before this.
For this list of the oldest gangs in the world, we’ve focused on larger, continuously running ones as opposed to local gangs that no longer exist or are hard to track. While a few of these gangs no longer exist, they played a large role in history and are sometimes even depicted in media.
The Yakuza
One of the oldest continuously running gangs in the world is the Yakuza. The Yakuza is a Japanese organized crime group with over three hundred years of history. They’ve been around since at least the 17th century when people began noticing groups of young men with eccentric hairstyles and rowdy behaviors. Later on, Yakuza members tattooed stunning and bright pieces on their bodies.
The exact origin of this gang, though, is unknown. We still don’t know who started it, but it continues to exist today. During the mid-Endo period, two social classifications existed. In one, members/families participated in thievery and illegal trades (tekiya), while in the other, members gambled or operated gambling businesses (bakuto). Don’t let movies fool you. While the Yakuza is an interesting gang, membership is dropping. It’s hard to recruit young members. There are likely under 30,000 active members in Japan today.
The Triads
Have you ever heard of the Triad? It’s a Chinese organized crime group in Greater China. It was founded in 1885 but has origins spanning back to the 18th century. It’s hard to pinpoint exactly when this organization found its name. The Triad can also refer to multiple Chinese secret societies. So, why did this gang form? The Triad’s origins can be traced back to the Qing dynasty. During this time, secret societies met up and plotted to overthrow the ruling class.
The Triads have a long history of war and revolutions. Not only did they plot to overthrow the ruling class of the Qing dynasty, but played a role in the revolution of 1911. Although originating in China, the Triads operate internationally and have their hands in gambling, prostitution, and extortion.
The Sicilian Mafia
It’s a bit of a debate over which gang is older, the Triad or the Sicilian Mafia. Both have origins and history that expand beyond the gang’s official formation. When you think of the mafia, what you likely imagine is the Sicilian mafia, an Italian organization with ties to the United States. This gang’s activity dates back to around the mid-19th century.
Technically, the Sicilian Mafia, also known as Cosa Nostra, is an organization consisting of multiple gangs, not just one. Typically, a larger group called a ‘family’ or ‘clan’ claims a piece of land or territory as their own. Within this area, they commit illegal activities. While the Sicilian Mafia is involved in gambling, drugs, and extortion, they also mediate between criminals or other gangs.
Forty Thieves
The Forty Thieves operated around the same time as the Italian Mafia, although they were nowhere near as large. The Forty Thieves was an Irish gang very active in the Five Points neighborhood of 19th-century Manhattan. They operated from 1825 to the 1860s and are considered the oldest street gang in New York City.
Edward Coleman formed this street gang to rebel against their social class as they lived in New York’s Lower East Side. It took no time for the group to get involved in criminal acts. Their famous meeting spot was Rosanna Peers’ grocery store, which also operated as an underground speakeasy. The gang was short-lived. It was almost completely dissolved by the 1850s as members joined other street gangs.
Forty Elephants
An all-female gang is super interesting. The Forty Elephants were exactly this. They were a small street gang specializing in shoplifting and completely consisted of women. Their history is secretive, although they operated from the mid to late 19th century into the 1950s.
This London crime syndicate was underestimated. They operated from the Elephant and Castle area of London but shoplifted throughout the city. Apart from shoplifting, they would also disguise themselves as housemaids and raid homes for jewelry and riches. While the earliest mention of this all-female gang appeared in a newspaper in 1873, they likely existed before. One of the main and well-known leaders of the Forty Elephants was Alice Diamond. She was a long-time career criminal who started her career as early as 16. She was also tall for a woman and frequently wore flashy clothes and jewelry.
The Apaches
The Apaches are more of an honorable mention as they were multiple street gangs following a similar subculture. It’s hard to pinpoint just one gang from this time in Paris. They were violent, especially known for their savage and brutal ways. Wealthy people especially feared encountering them as deadly muggings were common. The Apaches littered the streets of Paris after the Franco-Prussian War.
While there was violence on the streets by young men in street gangs, the media over-exaggerated the dangers and numbers. One poster even claimed there were up to 30,000 Apaches and only 8,000 police officers.
Cochise Cowboy Gang
In the late 19th century, we saw the rise in cowboy gangs and Wild West street criminals. The Cochise Cowboy Gang was one of the first. They were only active for about a decade, from the 1870s to the 1880s, but left their mark.
They were a group of outlaws living in Pima and Cochise County, Arizona. Although called cowboys, the word was used to describe horse thieves and outlaws. They participated in cattle rustling, often stealing cattle from Mexican ranchers and smuggling them into the U.S.
The Wild Bunch
One of the most popular and oldest gangs in the world was the Wild Bunch, also known as Butch Cassidy’s Wild Bunch. It was a loosely organized criminal organization operating out of Hole-in-the-Wall, a narrow passage in Wyoming. This was the ideal place to run their criminal businesses and hide because of the caves.
The Wild Bunch was nowhere near as large as other gangs on this list. It only contained around 19 members and operated from 1899 to the early 1900s. Butch Cassidy led the gang. With his leadership and the gang’s connections, they were the most successful train-robbing gang in history. A few other outlaws associated with the Wild Bunch were News Carver, Kid Curry, the Sundance Kid, Ann Bassett, and Josie Bassett.
The Bonnot Gang
Moving to a different part of the world, the Bonnot Gang was a short-lived French criminal anarchist group. They operated in France and Belgium from 1911 to 1912.
This small criminal organization was impressive. Using technology not yet available to local police, they were the first to rob automobiles. Although their crimes happened throughout both France and Belgium, they often met in Paris. Their first known robbery was on December 21, 1911, at the AB Branch of Société Générale Bank. They quickly stole cash during this first bank robbery.
The Barrow Gang
Last but not least is the Barrow Gang, best known for its two lovebird members, Bonnie and Clyde. The Barrow Gang was another short-lived organized crime group. They were an American gang active from 1932 to 1934, although the gang members had longer histories of crime. This group traveled throughout the Central United States.
Interestingly, they weren’t the most successful robbers or criminals, but that didn’t stop the media from blasting their faces and crimes everywhere. The Barrow Gang, particularly Bonnie and Clyde, were public enemy number one. While not incredibly successful, they still robbed gas stations and small stores. The gang came to a stop after the famous ambush that killed Bonnie and Clyde. Officers fired around 130 bullets into the car the two were parked in.