The Five Families refers to the five major New York City organized crime families of the Italian American Mafia. The term was first used in 1931, when Salvatore Maranzano formally organized the previously warring factions into what are now known as the Bonanno, Colombo, Gambino, Genovese, and Lucchese crime families. The Carlo Gambino Five Families T-Shirt commemorates the one time head of the Gambino family.