Having served the local government in Izu for generations as an izu no suke (deputy chief), the HOJO clan, unofficially called HOJO no suke, was counted as one of Kanto's hakkai (or eight "suke") together with other families of the same suke rank.
代々、伊豆国の在庁官人にて北条氏は伊豆介を務め北条介と通称し、他の介級の家柄と並んで関東の八介ともいわれた。