After the Edo period, the Tokugawa clan and the families reached gokui (their best rank) and gokkan (their best position), for example the Tokugawa gosanke (the three privileged branches of the Tokugawa family) and gosankyo (the other three Tokugawa families) were promoted as high as junii dainagon (chief councilor of state).
江戸時代以降は徳川将軍家の一門たる徳川御三家、御三卿が従二位大納言に昇る例がみられるなど、徳川姓を名乗る一門の極位極官ともなった。