Tokiko's father, Tokinobu, was a Hogan-dai (an administrative official of the Retired-Emperor's Office) of Cloistered Emperor Toba, and together with FUJIWARA no Akiyori and TAKASHINA no Michinori (FUJIWARA no Shinzei), he was in charge of business affairs at the government affairs office.
時子の父・時信は鳥羽法皇の判官代として、藤原顕頼・高階通憲（藤原信西）とともに院庁の実務を担当していた。