It was decided that, as Hakushaku (伯爵 commonly translated as count), Daijinke (families having generated ministers) from kuge, Toshoke (families of court nobles occupying relatively high ranks) which had assumed Dainagon (Major Counselor) many times, Tokugawa gosankyo (three privileged branches of the Tokugawa family, ranked next to Tokugawa gosanke) from buke, and the Daimyo families (feudal lord families) from buke, which had been paid the rice stipend of more than 50,000 goku (9019.5 cubic meters), were eligible.
公家からは大臣家、大納言の宣任の例が多い堂上家、武家からは徳川御三卿と現米5万石以上の大名家が伯爵相当とされた。