Where did Harry's parents get all of their money from?

Question

So, at the beginning of Harry Potter, Harry is found to have a large vault of gold at Gringots. Where did all of that money come from? What did James (I assume it came from him, Lily was muggle-born, and they both were young) do to get all of that cash?

Answer 1

Harry's money came from inheritance from his father, James.

James was independently wealthy (from family money) when he left Hogwarts, sufficiently such that he was able to support himself, Sirius, and Lily as full-time (unpaid) fighters for the Order of the Phoenix. Beyond that, there is no information as to where James's wealth came from or what his parents (Harry's paternal grandparents) did for a living or how they made their money.

Source : JKR Interview by a 14-year-old boy named Owen Jones who won the chance in 2005 to interview her.

Q: Where does he [Harry] get his money? He always seems to have some. Does he have a bank account? Where is it? Where's his money?

JKR: Well, as you know, Harry's bank account is in Gringotts. His money came from inheritance, from his father. But I think, on a deeper level... [On the one hand,] Harry's money never really is that important in the books, except that he can afford his uniform and so on. [On the other hand,] I think I really gave him a fortune because I was so broke when I wrote the first book and it was wishful thinking that I would not have to worry about such things.

Answer 2

From an earlier interview by J.K.Rowling:

Q: What did James and Lily Potter do when they were alive?

JKR: Well, I can't go into too much detail, because you're going to find out in future books. But James inherited plenty of money, so he didn't need a well-paid profession. You'll find out more about both Harry's parents later.

It is not very clear how much is left, because James needed to support Lupin as well:

Jo related the fact that Remus Lupin, prior to the third book, was unemployable because he was a werewolf, and upon his graduation from Hogwarts, along with James and Lily, was supported by James using their own money. In addition to this, she shed more light on the early days of the Order, saying James, Sirius, Remus and Lily were full time Order members. "Full Time Fighters," as Jo put it.
- J. K. Rowling at Carnegie Hall, 2007

Answer 3

It's never really explained where the money that's left to Harry comes from. His grandparents on both sides are apparently dead before the start of the first book, possibly at the hands of the Death Eaters.

It's said in the book and the movie by Hagrid, "you didn't really think your parents would leave you with nothin'?" Again, it's not clear what James and Lily did for a living, if they ever did have to work for a living (maybe James was indeed independently wealthy; he's cocky enough as a kid to be an heir), but if they did work, they'd probably have some sort of retirement fund they'd been socking away toward, which would pass to Harry as next of kin.

Although the financial system of the Potterverse isn't covered in-depth, it would also be easy to imply that Gringott's pays interest on any gold they're allowed to make use of in loans; some vaults are like safe deposit boxes, while others are more like ordinary bank accounts. Gringotts is a business like anything else; I doubt the goblins love gold so much they'd work for free just to be around it. Behold the wonders of compound interest accrued over 10 years on a nest egg that is never touched.

Anyway, what was left to Harry is enough that Harry's time in school is financially comfortable, but it's by no means extravagant; he didn't buy his own Firebolt, for instance. It only looks like a lot compared to what the Weasleys live on; working in the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts office doesn't pay much, obviously, and the Weasleys have had six kids. The Malfoys, on the other hand, are the evil Rockefellers; so much money that Lucius thinks nothing of buying Draco's way onto the Slytherin Quidditch team.

Answer 4

Harry is a descendant of the Peverells, an ancient and magically powerful family (and so, potentially rich, like the Malfoys). He inherited the invisibility cloak that belonged to Ignotus, so presumably any family fortune would also have been passed down from parent to child.

Answer 5

It's also possible that some of the money came from rewards for capturing Death Eaters during the first war with Voldemort.

Answer 6

It never really mentions how come Harry Potter has so much money, but James Potter inherited a lot of money from his parents and no doubt Sirius Black's relations are rich. I think they provided Harry Potter with enough money for "comfortable living" given Harry has no siblings or other members of family to share his parent's money with. I don't think the Dursleys would happily accept a share of galleons, sickles and knuts, personally!! Remember, Harry Potter was treated badly by the Dursleys so it must have appeared a lot to him when he found out about his inheritance.

Answer 7

I think that the wealth would have something to do with Harry's family being an ancient line of wizards as he was related to Ignotus Peverell and all they slowly gained the gold through the generations.