Families with three or more children, known as large families, have been a neglected topic in science and politics. This work provides in-depth insights into the diversity of living conditions of large families and, by comparing them with families with fewer children, offers a detailed assessment of the overall situation of families in Germany. Three main topics are highlighted: the historical decline of large families in Germany, Europe, and other parts of the world; the current living situation of large families in terms of household structures, regional distributions, education, employment, income, housing; and finally, aspects of decision-making processes leading to becoming a large family.