In the beginning of the Muromachi period, the Shugo's family or close relatives, or his chief vassal, or an influential samurai from within the Shugo's fief (kokujin) was appointed (in fact, for those families that had multiple Shugo, there were instances in which kokujin from other fiefs were made Shugodai.
室町時代に入ると、当初は守護の一門やその傍流、或いは重臣、または守護国内の有力武士（国人）が任じられる（ただし、複数の守護を兼ねる家の場合には、他の領国の国人が守護代とされる場合もある。