The term "Shoban" in the sense of settlers could definitely be identified in "Shinsen Shojiroku" (the New Selection and Record of Hereditary Titles and Family Names) completed in 815, where several terms for the place of origin were referred to, such as 'Kobetsu' (families branched out of the Imperial family) and 'Shinbetsu' (clans branched out of a family of god), along with which the term 'Shoban' (not 'Banbetsu') was defined to mean "clans originally from Daikan (China) or Sankan (three Korean Kingdoms)."
確実に判明するものでは、弘仁6年（815年）に成立した『新撰姓氏録』であり、「皇別」・「神別」と並んで「諸蕃」（「蕃別」ではない）という出自呼称が用いられ、「大漢（中国）三韓の族」を意味するものと定義されている。