When you think of badass gangs, images of modern cartels or movie crews probably pop up first. Yet the world’s most notorious crews have been roaming the streets long before video games and blockbusters took over—think Parisian crooks, Japanese samurai outlaws, and even a band of daring women in London. Below we dive into ten truly badass gangs that left an indelible mark on history.
Badass Gangs Through the Ages
10 Les Apaches
Les Apaches prowled the streets of turn‑of‑the‑century Paris, earning their nickname because a flustered policeman once likened their ferocity to that of actual Apache warriors. These guys weren’t just brutes; they rocked striped shirts, berets, and a dandy‑like swagger that turned them into the original Parisian hipsters. When the fashion crowd caught on, the Apaches were already mastering savate—a gritty martial art built on kicks and open‑handed punches—using it to mug gentlemen in groups so large that the upper class felt compelled to hire their own muscle.
But style wasn’t their only weapon. They wielded a bizarre hybrid called the Apache pistol, which doubled as a knife and could be folded into brass knuckles. In short, they practiced over‑kill on a whole new level—over‑over‑kill.
9 The Forty Elephants Gang
What sets the Forty Elephants apart from the rest of the roster is that every member was a woman. Long before feminism became a buzzword, these ladies turned the very sexism of their era into a strategic advantage, slipping through department stores under the veil of privacy that shoppers were granted. Together, they could strip a boutique clean of clothing, jewelry, and anything else worth stealing. Operating from the late 1700s up until the 1950s around London, the gang’s hierarchy placed men in a strictly subordinate role.
Their leader, Maggie Hill, was as lethal as she was striking—diamond‑studied rings doubled as makeshift brass knuckles, ready for any messy situation that required a good old‑fashioned punch.
8 The Know‑Nothings (aka The Bloody Tubs)
The Know‑Nothings were a cadre of hard‑edged thugs from Civil War‑era Baltimore, but their battlefield wasn’t about drugs or turf—it was politics. Acting as muscle for nativist politicians, they coerced voters into supporting their chosen candidates. The moniker “Know‑Nothings” came from the politicians they backed, who would famously protest, “I know nothing!” when interrogated about the gang’s tactics.
These enforcers blocked polling stations, stabbed voters with awls, beat people senseless, and even dunked victims into vats of blood, earning them the grisly nickname “The Bloody Tubs.” They also clashed with volunteer firefighters over control of fire hydrants, sparking bloody riots while houses burned. Legend has it that poet Edgar Allan Poe was one of their unwilling victims, falling ill after a night of intimidation and dying shortly thereafter.
7 Kabukimono
The Kabukimono—literally “crazy ones”—were the unruly offspring of lordless samurai who turned their swords into fashion statements and their rebellion into a street‑level rock show. Clad in women’s clothing, flamboyant makeup, and absurdly long hair, they roamed feudal Japan like a band of glam‑rock samurai. Armed with razor‑sharp swords, they turned the streets into dueling arenas, committing petty crimes while shouting their motto, “I have lived too long!”
Although their appearance might suggest a theatrical troupe, the Kabukimono were deadly. Some historians speculate they laid the groundwork for the modern yakuza, even if today’s organized crime groups prefer to distance themselves from such flamboyant ancestors.
6 The Vorovsky Mir
The Vorovsky Mir, translating to “thieves in law,” emerged from the bleak gulags of Soviet Russia. United by a shared need for protection, these thieves, bandits, and murderers forged a criminal code that mirrored, in a twisted way, the ideals of communism. Breaking the code meant a gang‑run trial, reinforcing their internal discipline.
Members identified each other through elaborate tattoos—a tradition that lives on in contemporary Russian organized crime, as seen in the film Eastern Promises. With the Soviet economy struggling to provide basic luxuries, the Vorovsky Mir turned to smuggling clothing and food, eventually evolving into the modern Russian mafia.
5 Mohocks
Inspired by a delegation of Native Americans visiting the Queen, a group of London youths christened themselves the Mohocks—an 18th‑century gang that could have walked straight out of a horror film. They prowled the night, slashing faces, cutting noses off with knives, and even stuffing women into barrels to roll them down hills.
Rumors that the Mohocks were upper‑class aristocrats sent shockwaves through both the lower and upper echelons of society. Their drunken riots saw them disfiguring pedestrians for sheer sport, reminiscent of the brutal scenes in A Clockwork Orange. The sheer terror they inspired cemented their place in London’s dark folklore.
4 The Five Points Gang
The Five Points gang ruled the gritty streets of Manhattan’s Five Points district from the mid‑19th to early‑20th century. Among its ranks was a young Al Capone, who earned the infamous scar that birthed the nickname “Scarface” during a bar fight while serving the gang.
While later Mafia outfits would popularize the sharply‑dressed Italian gangster image, the Five Points gang was the first to enforce a dress code—every member had to look dapper. Their reputation as New York’s—and perhaps America’s—most feared gang attracted even the Mafia, which began poaching members from their ranks.
3 Thuggee
The Thuggee of 1800s India were a secretive brotherhood of killers, robbers, and assassins whose name literally gave us the word “thug.” Operating under the guise of ordinary tradespeople, they blended into society while plotting murders. Membership was hereditary—if your father was a Thuggee, you inherited the family business of murder.
Victims were selected seemingly at random, guided by signs believed to be left by the goddess Kali. A Thuggee would befriend the target, travel with them, and, upon hearing the code phrase “Bring the tobacco,” strangle the victim, then loot the spoils. Their brutal efficiency earned them a Guinness World Record for the highest gang death toll.
2 Live Oak Boys
The Live Oak Boys terrorized mid‑19th‑century New Orleans with a brand of violence that made the city quake. Armed with the oak clubs that gave them their name, they would storm bars and saloons, smashing everything in sight. Often hired by rival proprietors to eliminate competition, they sometimes simply acted out of boredom.
Leading the pack was Red Bill Wilson, a man whose beard was so rugged it could conceal a hidden knife. If the Forty Elephants’ Maggie Hill ever crossed paths with Red Bill, the chemistry would have been explosive—perhaps even romantic.
1 Scuttlers
“Scuttlers” is the collective name for the teenage gangs that plagued Manchester, England, in the 19th century. Each sub‑group took its name from the neighborhood it claimed, and they fought over territory with bottles, knives, sticks, and iron bars—often for no more reason than sheer dominance.
Their look was unmistakable: scarves, peaked caps perched on bald heads, and a fringe of hair covering one eye. So ferocious were they that the term “hooligan” was coined to describe their chaos. At the height of a brawl, up to 600 Scuttlers could clash over a single street corner, prompting locals to barricade themselves inside for safety.
These infamous youths left a legacy that still echoes in modern street culture.