Through the main branch of the family of FUJIWARA no Yoshifusa of Fujiwara Hokke (Fujiwara Hoku Family), in the early Kamakura period, FUJIWARA no Tadamichi's sons, Motozane KONOE and Kanezane KUJO established the Sekkan Family (Sekkan-ke) of the Konoe group and Kujoryu Sekkan-ke, a regent family, respectively; this resulted in the division of the main branch of the family into two families (although there was, in addition the Matsudono Family of the Sekkan Family (Sekkannke) of the Matsudono group, the originator of which was Motofusa MATSUDONO, who was also a son of Tadamichi; but, the Matsudono Family is not counted as sekke, with the two families because, after Moroie MATSUDONO became regent, no one from the Matsudono Family became a regent or chief advisor of the Emperor and the family line failed many times).
藤原北家の藤原良房の嫡流を経て、鎌倉初期に至り藤原忠通の子の近衛基実と九条兼実がそれぞれ近衛流摂関家と九条流摂関家を成立させ、嫡流が2家に分裂した（この他に同じ忠通の子である松殿基房を祖とする松殿流摂関家の松殿家があったが、松殿師家が摂政になった後は摂政・関白を輩出することなく何度も断絶を繰り返しているため摂家には数えない）。