Many sengoku daimyo were originally shugo daimyo (such as the Satake, Inagawa, Takeda, Toki, Rokkaku, Ouchi, Otomo and Shimazu clans), while many others were originally shugodai (shugo deputies) or their vassals/retainers (such as the Asakura, Amago, Nagao, Miyoshi, Chosokabe, Jinbo, Hatano, Oda and Mastunaga clans). There were also many who were originally local lords or religious powers (such as the Mori, Tamura, Ryozoji and Tsutsui clans).
佐竹氏・今川氏・武田氏・土岐氏・六角氏・大内氏・大友氏・島津氏らのように守護大名に出自した例、朝倉氏・尼子氏・長尾氏・三好氏・長宗我部氏・神保氏・波多野氏・織田氏・松永氏らのように守護代やその臣・陪臣に出自した例が多数を占めたが、毛利氏・田村氏・龍造寺氏・筒井氏らのように国人層や宗教勢力に出自した例も多かった。