The headline-grabbing scandals and vast fortune of the family behind the global Hilton hotel chain have attracted more than their fair share of attention over the decades.

We all know Paris Hilton. But how did her family get so rich? Amid reports that Paris will soon be returning to our screens, read on for the inside story of the Hilton family fortune, from a 40-room hotel in Texas to the luxury empire it represents today. All dollar amounts in US dollars.