The family used the name Sugimoto because they originated from Yoshimune SUGIMOTO (also written as 椙本 in Chinese characters) and were based at Sugimoto-jo Castle (the present-day Sugimoto-dera Temple).
三浦義明の長男　杉本義宗(椙本とも)が起源で鎌倉の杉本城(現在の杉本寺)を拠点としたことから杉本を称した。