In the recent studies, the following things are assumed: the clan was a jinin (associates of Shinto shrines) at Ichinomiya Shiogama-jinja Shrine in Mutsu Province, in charge of the management of the shrine estate of Shiogama-jinja Shrine, it can be understppd that it was a local ruling lord which had certain characters of 'Kaimin' (maritime people) as well as 'sanmin' (mountain people) according to the historical materials in which the clan's name registered as 'Tsugaru Sanzoku' (bandit of Tsugaru).
近年の研究では、陸奥国一宮鹽竈神社の神人であり鹽竈神社の神領の管理をしていたこと、「津軽山賊」と記載された史料があること等から、「海民」、「山民」としての性格を持つ豪族であったとも推定されている。