He was from one of the lines of the Seiwa-Genji (Minamoto clan), which is a collateral line of the Settsu-Genji (Minamoto clan), and was a son of MINAMOTO no Mitsunobu, Saemon no jo (third-ranked officer of the Left Division of Outer Palace Guards), from the Mino-Genji (Minamoto clan).
家系は清和源氏の一家系摂津源氏の傍系美濃源氏の左衛門尉源光信の子。