However, even people who were not Fudai retainers were sometimes appointed to a post equivalent to Karo due to their abilities, and were called Karo-kaku, Karo-nami, or Karo-retsu.
しかし、譜代の家臣ではなくとも家中（かちゅう）で実力を認められて家老に準ずる地位に登用されるものもおり、彼らを家老格・家老並・家老列などと呼ぶこともあった。