In contrast, many families of the Minamoto clan used the Minamoto surname and were collectively referred to as Genji (the Minamoto clan); and the term Genke, referring to a single Minamoto family, is rarely used.
これに対して源氏は、源姓を名のった一族は多く、源家は複数になるため、通常は、源家総体という意味での源氏と呼び、源家という言い方はあまり用いない。