In 1363, Noriaki UESUGI was assigned as a steward (Kanrei) of Kamakura Kubo Motouji ASHIKAGA, and after he became the first Kanto Kanrei, the family split into four branches: the Inukake, the Yamanouchi, the Takuma and the Ogigayatsu (the name of their place of residence is used at the beginning of the surname).
上杉憲顕が1363年に鎌倉公方足利基氏の執事（管領）に任ぜられて、初代の関東管領になって以来、鎌倉に居住した一族から犬懸（いぬかけ）、山内（やまのうち）、宅間（たくま）、扇谷（おうぎがやつ）の4家が出た（頭に居住地名を冠している）。