Yukihiko SEKI has indicated that, apart from the military aristocracy who were descendants of the central nobles such as the Taira clan, the Minamoto clan, and the Fujiwara clan of the Hidesato line, there may also have been those who had changed into the military aristocracy from the local Dogo under the authority of the central government, and argued that the Abe clan may also have been one of this kind.
関幸彦は、平氏や源氏、秀郷流藤原氏のような中央の貴族の末流の軍事貴族とは別にして、在地の土豪が中央の権力に従って軍事貴族したものも存在したであろうと指摘し、安倍氏もこの中に含まれるのではないかと論じている。