As a retainer of MINAMOTO no Yorimasa who, as a descendent of MINAMOTO no Yorimitsu, was based in Watanabe no Tsu in Settsu Province, the Watanabe clan had Habuku WATANABE, MINAMOTO no Sazuku, MINAMOTO no Tsuranu, MINAMOTO no Okoru, and Kio WATANABE participate in the Hogen Disturbance.
源頼光の後裔で摂津国渡辺津に拠る源頼政の郎党として、渡辺氏は、保元の乱において、渡辺省、源授、源連、源興、渡辺競らが参陣している。