(We know for sure, at least, that his contemporaries thought that his honsei was Taira [平] since he is referred to as 'Heishin Saemon Saburo Yoritsuna' [平新左衛門三郎頼綱] or 'Heishin Saemon no Jo Yoritsuna' [平新左衛門尉頼綱] in 'Azuma Kagami' [The Mirror of the East]).
（「吾妻鏡」に「平新左衛門三郎頼綱」や「平新左衛門尉頼綱」とあることから、少なくとも、当時の同時代人の間で頼綱が平姓であると考えられていたことは確実である）。