In the Civil Codes before the revision, the right to govern and direct the family i.e. the right of family head was assigned to the head of the family, and the title of the head of the family was called Katoku, the reigns of the family.
改正前の民法では、家族の統率・監督を行うための権限である戸主権を戸主に与え、戸主たる地位を家督と言った。