NET WORTH: $2.6 billion +4%

LAST YEAR: $2.5 billion

AGE: 84

RESIDENCE: Holmby Hills

SOURCE OF WEALTH: Hotels

THE MONEY: Since cashing out of hotel business in 2007, much of wealth has been in funds holding blue-chip stocks, which had single-digit gains.

BUZZ: In a public letter last year, Hilton reiterated pledge to donate 97 percent of wealth at death to the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation founded by his father. The letter stated the gift would bring the foundation’s total account to more than $4 billion from current $2 billion. The foundation, where Barron serves as chairman and son Steve as president, is building headquarters on 66 acres in Agoura Hills and might move from Century City this summer. The Hilton saga started in 1919 when Barron’s father bought a 40-room hotel in Cisco, Texas. The son joined the company in 1954 and became chief executive in 1966. In 1960, he was member of “the Foolish Club,” a group of eight tycoons who started the American Football League; his team: the Los Angeles Chargers. Once again this year, Hilton’s progeny – in this case grandson Barron Nicholas Hilton II, not granddaughter Paris – added to family’s notoriety. Grandson paid $4.9 million to gas station attendant run over in 2008.