In 1876, Sozoku System (the system of the paternal family group) was enacted for the integration and solidarity of kazoku, and according to it, all kazoku were classified into 76 groups based on the family lines regardless of the differences of their original statuses as buke (samurai families) and kugyo (court nobles).
明治9年（1876年）全華族の融和と団結を目的とした宗族制度が発足し、華族は武家と公卿の区別無く系図上の血縁ごとに76の『類』として分類された。