It indicates a household which is abolished because there is no successor after former head of the family died even though the process of succession of the family head position has began (the Old Civil Codes, Article 764).
戸主が死亡したことなどにより家督相続が開始されたにもかかわらず、家督相続人となる者がいないために、家が消滅することをいう（旧民法764条）。