She was a daughter of FUJIWARA no Tametoki, governor of Echigo Province, and her mother was a daughter of FUJIWARA no Tamenobu from Settsu Province, but she lost her mother when she was little.
越後国守藤原為時の娘で、母は摂津国守藤原為信女であるが、紫式部の幼少期に母を亡くしたとされる。