Japanese Clans - Family Names (Myōji/苗字 or 名字, or Kamei/家名)

Family Names (Myōji/苗字 or 名字, or Kamei/家名)

From late ancient era, the family name (Myōji/苗字 or 名字) had been commonly used by samurais to denote their family line in stead of the name of the ancient clan that the family line belongs to (uji-na/氏名 or honsei/本姓), which was used only in the official records in the Imperial court. Kuge families also had used their family name (Kamei/家名) for the same purpose. Each of samurai families is called " clan (氏)" as follows and they must not be confusd with ancient clan names:

• Abe clan of Mikawa (阿部氏) - descended from Emperor Kōgen and the ancient Abe clan (阿部氏); no direct relation to the Abe clan of Ōshū (安倍氏).
• Adachi clan (安達氏) - descended from Fujiwara clan.
• Akahoshi clan (赤星氏) - cadet branch of Kikuchi clan.
• Akamatsu clan (赤松氏) - descended from Murakami Genji.
• Akechi clan (明智氏) - cadet branch of Toki clan who descended from Seiwa Genji; famous for Akechi Mitsuhide.
• Akita clan (秋田氏) - descended from Abe clan of Ōshū.
• Akiyama clan (秋山氏) - cadet branch of Takeda clan who descended from Seiwa Genji.
• Akizuki clan (秋月氏) - descended from Prince Achi no Omi of the Chinese Han Dynasty.
• Amago clan (尼子氏) - cadet branch of Sasaki clan who descended from Uda Genji.
• Amakasu clan (甘粕氏) - cadet branch of Nitta clan who descended from Seiwa Genji (disputed).
• Amakusa clan (天草氏) - descended from Ōkura clan.
• Anayama clan (穴山氏) - cadet branch of Takeda clan who descended from Seiwa Genji.
• Andō clan - descended from Abe clan of Ōshū, by Abe no Hirafu.
• Asakura clan (朝倉氏) - descended from Prince Kusakabe son of Emperor Temmu.
• Asano clan (浅野氏) - cadet branch of Toki clan who descended from Seiwa Genji.
• Ashikaga clan (足利氏) - descended from Seiwa Genji; famous for Ashikaga Shogunate; no direct relation to the Fujiwara-descent Ashikaga clan
• Ashikaga clan (Fujiwara) (足利氏) - descended from Fujiwara Hokke; no direct relation to the Genji-descent Ashikaga clan.
• Ashina clan (蘆名氏) - cadet branch of Miura clan who descended from Kammu Heishi.
• Aso clan (阿蘇氏) - descended from Emperor Jimmu by the Ō clan.
• Asō clan (麻生氏) - cadet branch of Utsunomiya clan who descended from Fujiwara Hokke; famous for Tarō Asō.
• Atagi clan (安宅氏) - cadet branch of Ogasawara clan who descended from Seiwa Genji (disputed).
• Azai clan (浅井氏) - descended from Fujiwara clan; famous for Azai Nagamasa.
• Bitō clan (尾藤氏) - descended from Fujiwara Hokke.
• Chiba clan (千葉氏) - descended from Kammu Heishi.
• Chōsokabe clan (長宗我部氏) - descended from Hata clan(disputed); famous for Chosokabe Motochika.
• Date clan (伊達氏) - also known as Idate clan or Idachi clan, descended from Fujiwara Hokke; famous for Date Masamune.
• Doi clan (土井氏) - cadet branch of Toki clan who descended from Seiwa Genji (disputed); no direct relation to the Heishi-descent Doi clan.
• Doi clan (土肥氏) - descended from Kammu Heishi; no direct relation to the Genji-descent Doi clan.
• Fuji clan (富士氏) - descended from Wani clan (和珥氏).
• Gotō clan - cadet branch of Takeda clan who descended from Seiwa Genji.
• Hachisuka clan (蜂須賀氏) - cadet branch of Ashikaga clan by the Shiba clan who descended from Seiwa Genji, famous for Hachisuka Masakatsu.
• Haga clan (芳賀氏) - descended from Kiyowara clan.
• Hashiba clan (羽柴氏) - also known as their honsei: Toyotomi clan (豊臣氏); descended from Toyotomi Hideyoshi.
• Hatakeyama clan (畠山氏) - descended from Kammu Heishi before 1205. After 1205 the Hatakeyama are a cadet branch of Ashikaga clan who descended from Seiwa Genji.
• Hatano clan (波多野氏) - descended from Fujiwara Hokke.
• Hayashi clan (林氏) - cadet branch of Kōno clan who descended from Prince Iyo, son of Emperor Kammu.
• Hiki clan (比企氏) - descended from Fujiwara Hokke.
• Hirano clan - descended from Prince Toneri son of Emperor Temmu, by the Kiyowara clan.
• Hitotsuyanagi clan - cadet branch of Kōno clan who descended from Prince Iyo, son of Emperor Kammu.
• Hōjō clan (北条氏) - descended from Kammu Heishi (disputed); no direct relation to the Late Hōjō clan (北条氏) or Kitajō clan (北条氏); regents of the Kamakura Shogunate.
• Late Hōjō clan (後北条氏) - also known as Hōjō clan or Go-Hōjō clan; descended from Kammu Heishi; no direct relation to the regent Hōjō clan (北条氏) or Kitajō clan (北条氏).
• Honma clan (本間氏) - also known as Homma clan or Honma clan of Sado; cadet branch of Yokoyama clan who descended from Ono no Takamura (disputed).
  • Honma clan of Sakata (酒田本間氏) - cadet branch.
• Honda clan (本多氏) - descended from Fujiwara Hokke; famous for Honda Tadakatsu.
• Hosokawa clan (細川氏) - cadet branch of Ashikaga clan who descended from Seiwa Genji.
  • Hosokawa Keichō family (細川京兆家) - head family.
  • Hosokawa Tenkyū family (細川典厩家) - cadet branch.
  • Hosokawa family of Awa (阿波細川氏) - cadet branch; descended from Hosokawa Akiharu.
  • Hosokawa family of Ōshū (奥州細川家) - cadet branch; descended from Hosokawa Akiuji.
• Hotta clan - descended from Emperor Kōgen, by the Minister Takeshi-uchi no Sukune.
• Ichijō family (一条家) - descended from Fujiwara Hokke.
• Ichijō clan of Tosa (土佐一条氏) - cadet branch of Ichijō family who descended from Fujiwara Hokke.
• Ide clan (井出氏) - cadet branch of Nikaidō clan who descended from Fujiwara Nanke.
• Ii clan (井伊氏) - descended from Fujiwara Hokke; famous for Ii Naomasa and Ii Naosuke.
• Ikeda clan (池田氏) - descended from Seiwa Genji; no direct relation to other clans called Ikeda.
• Ikeda clan of Iyo (伊予池田氏) - no direct relation to other clans called Ikeda.
• Ikeda clan of Mino (美濃池田氏) - no direct relation to other clans called Ikeda.
• Ikeda clan of Sasaki (池田氏) - cadet branch of Sasaki clan; no direct relation to other clans called Ikeda.
• Ikeda clan of Settsu (摂津池田氏) - descended from Ki clan (disputed). no direct relation to other clans called Ikeda.
• Imagawa clan (今川氏) - cadet branch of Ashikaga clan who descended from Seiwa Genji; famous for Imagawa Yoshimoto.
• Inaba clan - cadet branch of Kōno clan who descended from Prince Iyo, son of Emperor Kammu.
• Inoue clan (井上氏) - descended from Seiwa Genji.
  • Inoue clan of Shinano (信濃井上氏) - head family.
  • Inoue clan of Aki (安芸井上氏) - cadet branch.
  • Inoue clan of Mikawa (三河井上氏) - cadet branch.
• Ishida clan (石田氏) - cadet branch of Miura clan who descended from Kammu Heishi (disputed). famous for Ishida Mitsunari
• Ishikawa clan (石川氏) - also known as Ishikawa Genji; descended from Seiwa Genji.
• Ishimaki clan (石巻氏) - descended from Fujiwara Nanke.
• Itō clan (伊東氏) - cadet branch of Kudō clan who descended from Fujiwara Nanke.
• Itomuku Clan - Clan founded by Zunaku Itomuku.
• Kamiizumi clan (上泉氏) - cadet branch of Fujiwara-descent Ashikaga clan who descended Fujiwara Hokke.
• Kagawa clan (香川氏) - descended from Kammu Heishi.
• Kikkawa clan (吉川氏) - cadet branch of Kudō clan who descended from Fujiwara Nanke. After the mid 16th century they are a cadet branch of the Mōri clan who descended from the Ōe clan, famous for Kikkawa Motoharu.
• Kikuchi clan (菊池氏) - descended from Seong of Baekje.
• Kira clan (吉良氏) - cadet branch of Ashikaga clan who descended from Seiwa Genji; famous for Kira Yoshinaka.
• Kiso clan (木曾氏) - descended from Seiwa Genji; famous for Minamoto no Yoshinaka.
• Kitabatake clan (北畠氏) - descended from Murakami Genji.
• Kitajō clan (北条氏) - also known as Kitajō clan of Echigo or Mōri Kitajō clan; cadet branch of Mōri clan; no direct relation to the Hōjō clan (北条氏) or Late Hōjō clan (北条氏).
• Kiyowara clan (清原氏) - descended from Prince Toneri, son of the Emperor Temmu (631-686).
• Kobayakawa clan (小早川氏) - cadet branch of Doi clan who descended from Kammu Heishi. After the mid 16th century they are a cadet branch of the Mōri clan who descended from the Ōe clan, famous for Kobayakawa Takakage and Kobayakawa Hideaki.
• Kodama clan (児玉氏) - descended from Fujiwara Hokke.
• Koga clan (久我家) - descended from Murakami Genji.
• Kōno clan (河野氏) - descended from Prince Iyo son of Emperor Kammu.
• Konoe family (近衛家) - descended from Fujiwara Hokke. famous for Konoe Fumimaro.
• Kudō clan (工藤氏) - descended from Fujiwara Nanke.
• Kujō family (九条家) - descended from Fujiwara Hokke.
• Kyōgoku clan (京極氏) - cadet branch of Sasaki clan who descended from Uda Genji.
• Maeda clan (前田氏) - descended from Sugawara clan. famous for Maeda Toshiie.
• Matsuda clan (松田氏) - cadet branch of Hatano clan who descended from Fujiwara Hokke.
• Matsudaira clan (松平氏) - cadet branch of Nitta clan, by the Tokugawa clan descended from Seiwa Genji (disputed); famous for Tokugawa Ieyasu.
• Matsumae clan - cadet branch of Takeda clan who descended from Seiwa Genji;
• Miura clan (三浦氏) - descended from Kammu Heishi.
• Mikumo clan (三雲氏) - cadet branch of Kodama clan who descended from Fujiwara Hokke.
• Miyoshi clan (三好氏) - cadet branch of Takeda clan, by the Ogasawara clan who descended from Seiwa Genji; no direct relation to the Fujiwara-descent Miyoshi clan (三吉氏); famous for Miyoshi Nagayoshi.
• Miyoshi clan (三吉氏) - descended from Fujiwara clan; no direct relation to the Ogasahara-descent Miyoshi clan (三好氏).
• Mogami clan (最上氏) - cadet branch of Ashikaga clan who descended from Seiwa Genji.
• Mori clan (森氏) - descended from Seiwa Genji; famous for Mori Ranmaru.
• Mōri clan (毛利氏) - descended from Ōe clan; no direct relation to the Genji-descent Mōri clan (毛利氏) or Fujiwara-descent Mōri clan (毛利氏); famous for Mōri Motonari and his sons.
  • Mōri clan of Inaba (因幡毛利氏) - cadet branch.
• Mōri clan (毛利氏) - descended from Uda Genji; no direct relation to Ōe-descent Mōri clan (毛利氏) or Fujiwara-descent Mōri clan (毛利氏);
• Mōri clan (毛利氏) - descended from Fujiwara clan (disputed); no direct relation to Ōe-descent Mōri clan (毛利氏) or Genji-descent Mōri clan (毛利氏);
• Murakami clan (村上氏) - descended from Seiwa Genji.
  • Murakami clan of Inland Sea (村上水軍) - also known as Murakami Suigun; famous for their naval forces.
    • Murakami clan of Innoshima (因島村上氏)
    • Murakami clan of Kurushima (来島村上氏)
    • Murakami clan of Nōnoshima (能島村上氏)
  • Murakami clan of Shinano (信濃村上氏) - also known as Shinshū Murakami clan; famous for Murakami Yoshikiyo.
• Nagao clan (長尾氏) - descended from Kammu Heishi; famous for Uesugi Kenshin.
• Nabeshima clan (鍋島氏) - cadet branch of Shōni clan who descended from Fujiwara Hokke.
• Niiro clan (新納氏) - cadet branch of Shimazu clan of the Satsuma Domain who descended from Seiwa Genji.
• Nakamura clan (ja:中村)
• Nambu clan (南部氏) - cadet branch of Takeda clan who descended from Seiwa Genji.
• Nijō family (二条家) - descended from Fujiwara Hokke.
• Nitta clan (新田氏) - descended from Seiwa Genji; famous for Nitta Yoshisada.
• Niwa clan (丹羽氏) - cadet branch of Kodama clan who descended from Fujiwara Hokke (disputed); no direct relation to the Isshiki-descent Niwa clan (丹羽氏).
• Niwa clan (丹羽氏) - caded branch of Isshiki clan who descended from Seiwa Genji; no direct relation to the Kodama-descent Niwa clan (丹羽氏).
• Oda clan (織田氏) - descended from Kammu Heishi; famous for Oda Nobunaga.
• Ōta clan - descended from Seiwa Genji; famous for Ōta Dōkan.
• Ogasawara clan (小笠原氏) - cadet branch of Takeda clan descended from Seiwa Genji.
• Ōtomo clan (大友氏) - descended from Fujiwara Hokke; no direct relation to the ancient Ōtomo clan (大友氏) or Ōtomo clan (大伴氏); famous for Ōtomo Sōrin.
• Ōuchi clan (大内氏) - descended from Tatara clan.
• Rokkaku clan (六角氏) - cadet branch of Sasaki clan who descended from Uda Genji.
• Sagara clan (相良氏) - descended from Fujiwara Nanke.
• Saitō clan (斉藤氏) - descended from Fujiwara Hokke; famous for Saitō Dōsan.
• Sakai clan (酒井氏) - cadet branch of Nitta clan, by the Tokugawa clan descended from Seiwa Genji.
• Sakuma clan (佐久間氏) - cadet branch of Miura clan who descended from Kammu Heishi
• Sanada clan (真田氏) - descended from Seiwa Genji (disputed); famous for Sanada Nobushige who is more commonly known as Sanada Yukimura.
• Sasaki clan (佐々木氏) - descended from Uda Genji.
• Satake clan (佐竹氏) - descended from Seiwa Genji.
• Shiba clan (斯波氏) - cadet branch of Ashikaga clan who descended from Seiwa Genji.
• Shimazu clan (島津氏) - also known as Satsuma Clan; descended from Seiwa Genji; famous for Shimazu Yoshihiro.
• Shinmen clan (新免氏) - also known as Shimmen clan; cadet branch of Akamatsu clan who descended from Murakami Genji.
• Sō clan (宗氏) - descended from Koremune clan.
• Sogō clan (十河氏) - descended from Emperor Keikō.
• Sōma clan (相馬氏) - cadet branch of Chiba clan who descended from Kammu Heishi.
  • Sōma clan of Ōshū (奥州相馬氏) - head family.
  • Sōma clan of Shimōsa (下総相馬氏) - cadet branch.
• Sue clan (陶氏) - cadet branch of Ōuchi clan who descended from Tatara clan. famous for Sue Harukata.
• Sugi clan (杉氏) - cadet branch of Sasaki clan who descended from Uda Genji; famous for Yoshida Shōin.
• Suwa clan (諏訪氏) - descended from Seiwa Genji.
• Tachibana clan (立花氏) - cadet branch of Ōtomo clan, descended from Ōtomo Yoshinao; no direct relation to the ancient Tachibana clan (橘氏); famous for Tachibana Ginchiyo and her husband Tachibana Muneshige.
• Takamu Clan - Clan founded by Mushinto Takamu, Resided in the Edo area.
• Takanashi clan (高梨氏) - cadet branch of Inoue clan who descended from Seiwa Genji (disputed).
• Takaoka clan (高岡氏) - descended from Uda Genji or Seiwa Genji.
• Takatsukasa family (鷹司家) - descended from Fujiwara Hokke.
• Takeda clan (武田氏) - also known as Takeda clan of Kai; descended from Seiwa Genji; famous for Takeda Shingen.
  • Takeda clan of Aki (安芸武田氏) - cadet branch.
  • Takeda clan of Kazusa (上総武田氏) - cadet branch.
  • Takeda clan of Wakasa (若狭武田氏) - cadet branch.
• Takenaka clan (竹中氏) - cadet branch of Toki clan who descended from Seiwa Genji.
• Takigawa clan (滝川氏) - descended from Ki clan or Tomo clan (disputed).
• Tanegashima clan (種子島氏) - descended from Kammu Heishi (disputed); famous for production of early firearms.
• Toda clan (戸田氏) - descended from Fujiwara Hokke.
• Toki clan (土岐氏) - descended from Seiwa Genji.
• Tokugawa clan (徳川氏) - descended from Tokugawa Ieyasu from Matsudaira clan; famous for Tokugawa Shogunate.
  • Tokugawa Shogun family (徳川将軍家) - head family.
    • Tokugawa family of Kōfu (甲府徳川家) - descended from Tokugawa Tsunashige, 3rd son of Tokugawa Iemitsu.
    • Tokugawa family of Tatebayashi (館林徳川家) - descended from Tokugawa Tsunayoshi.
    • Tokugawa Yoshinobu family (徳川慶喜家) - descended from Tokugawa Yoshinobu.
  • Gosanke (御三家)
    • Tokugawa family of Kishū (紀州徳川家) - also known as Kii Tokugawa family; descended from Tokugawa Yorinobu, 10th son of Tokugawa Ieyasu; famous for Tokugawa Yoshimune and Tokugawa Iemochi.
    • Tokugawa family of Mito (水戸徳川家) - descended from Tokugawa Yorifusa, 11th son of Tokugawa Ieyasu; famous for Tokugawa Mitsukuni.
      • Tokugawa family of Matsudo (松戸徳川家) - cadet branch of Tokugawa family of Mito.
    • Tokugawa family of Owari (尾張徳川家) - descended from Tokugawa Yoshinao, 9th son of Tokugawa Ieyasu.
  • Gosankyo (御三卿)
    • Tokugawa family of Hitotsubashi (一橋徳川家) - descended from Tokugawa Munetada, 4th son of Tokugawa Yoshimune.
    • Tokugawa family of Shimizu (清水徳川家) - descended from Tokugawa Shigeyoshi, 2nd son of Tokugawa Ieshige.
    • Tokugawa family of Tayasu (田安徳川家) - descended from Tokugawa Munetake, 2nd son of Tokugawa Yoshimune.
• Tsugaru clan (津軽氏) - also known as Ōura clan; descended from Fujiwara Hokke.
• Tsutsui clan (筒井氏) - descended from Fujiwara clan; famous for Tsutsui Junkei.
• Uesugi clan (上杉氏) - descended from Fujiwara Hokke.
  • Uesugi family of Inukake (犬懸上杉家) - descended from Uesugi Norifuji.
  • Uesugi family of Ōgigayatsu (扇谷上杉家) - descended from Uesugi Shigeaki.
  • Uesugi family of Takuma (宅間上杉家) - descended from Uesugi Shigeyoshi.
  • Uesugi family of Yamanouchi (山内上杉家) - descended from Uesugi Noriaki; famous for Uesugi Kenshin.
    • Uesugi family of Fukaya (深谷上杉家) - also known as Kobanawa Uesugi family; descended from Uesugi Norifusa.
• Ukita clan (宇喜多氏) - descended from Kojima Takanori of Seiwa Genji; famous for Ukita Hideie.
• Urakami clan (浦上氏) - descended from Emperor Kōgen by the Ki clan.
• Utsunomiya clan (宇都宮氏) - descended from Fujiwara Hokke.
  • Utsunomiya clan of Shimotsuke (下野宇都宮氏) - head family.
  • Utsunomiya clan of Buzen (豊前宇都宮氏) - cadet branch.
  • Utsunomiya clan of Chikugo (筑後宇都宮氏) - cadet branch.
  • Utsunomiya clan of Iyo (伊予宇都宮氏) - cadet branch.
• Wakiya clan (脇屋氏) - cadet branch of Nitta clan who descended from Seiwa Genji.
• Watanabe clan - descended from Emperor Saga.
• Yagyū clan (柳生氏) - descended from Sugawara clan; famous for their swordsmanship called Yagyū Shinkage-ryū.
• Yamana clan (山名氏) - cadet branch of Nitta clan who descended from Seiwa Genji.
• Yamanouchi clan (山内氏) - also known as Yamanouchi Sudō clan, descended from Fujiwara Hokke.
  • Yamanouchi clan of Bingo (備後山内氏) - head family.
  • Yamanouchi clan of Ōshū (奥州山内氏) - cadet branch.
  • Yamanouchi clan of Tosa (土佐山内氏) - cadet branch; famous for Yamauchi Kazutoyo.
• Yanagizawa clan - cadet branch of Takeda clan who descended from Seiwa Genji.
• Yūki clan (結城氏) - descended from Fujiwara Hokke.
  • Yūki clan of Shimousa (下総結城氏) - head family.
  • Yūki clan of Shirakawa (白河結城氏) - cadet branch.