A successor of a family head position (a new family head) will be chosen from the members (family) living in the same household with former head of a family, and a successor will be decided under the conditions such as male or female, legitimate child or illegitimate child, older or younger, or a person appointed by former head of a family or elected by parents of former head of a family or family reunion, but usually the first son will be a successor of a family head position.
家督相続人（新戸主）となる者は、旧戸主と同じ家に属する者（家族）の中から、男女・嫡出子庶子・長幼の順で決められた上位の者、被相続人（旧戸主）により指定された者、旧戸主の父母や親族会により選定された者などの順位で決めることになっていたが、通常は長男が家督相続人として戸主の地位を承継した。