Many of the vassals of the Kamakura family were officials of manors and imperial territories called "gunji," "goji" or "hoshi" who had been given status merely as servants or subordinates of manorial lords (called "honjo" (master) in Japanese) and imperial officials (more specifically, head official called "zuryo").
また、御家人の多くは、荘園の荘官、公領の郡司、郷司、保司であり、荘園領主（本所）や国司（特にその筆頭官としての受領）の家人・被官としての地位しか与えられていなかった。