The First Families of Gotham refer to the families in Gotham City that helped the city recover following the American Revolution. The first families most powerful families were undoubtedly the Wayne Family, the Kane Family, the Crowne Family, the Cobblepot Family, and the Elliot Family.
The Kane family was cited as being so rich that the only parts of Gotham that were not owned by them were those owned by the Wayne Family.
The Wayne Family would end up opening Wayne Enterprises and the Elliot Family Elliot Pharmaceutical. The two companies would later merge to form the most powerful company in Gotham. Despite this, the Elliot Family would nevertheless continue to own the Gotham Gazette until Thomas Elliot would go rogue.
By 2012, most of the First Families would be gone, with the Waynes, Cobblepots and the Kanes being the only ones still standing with only one or two members of each family remaining.