清原(yuan)氏(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)、中臣(chen)氏(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)、安倍氏(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)、賀茂氏(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)、中原(yuan)氏(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)、物部氏(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)、蘇(su)我氏(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)、紀(ji)氏(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)、小野氏(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)、在(zai)原(yuan)氏(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)、鷹司氏(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)、二條氏(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)、一條氏(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)、日下(xia)部氏(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)、惟(wei)宗(zong)氏(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)、秦氏(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)氏(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)、安倍氏(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)、阿部氏(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)、足(zu)(zu)利(li)氏(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)、伊達氏(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)、福澤氏(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)、華岡氏(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)、三條氏(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)、西園寺(si)氏(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)、花(hua)山院氏(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)、四(si)條氏(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)、勧(quan)修寺(si)氏(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)、日野氏(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)、中御門氏(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)、近藤(teng)(teng)氏(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)、遠藤(teng)(teng)氏(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)、安藤(teng)(teng)氏(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)、加(jia)藤(teng)(teng)氏(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)、佐藤(teng)(teng)氏(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)、齊(qi)藤(teng)(teng)氏(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)、齋藤(teng)(teng)氏(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)、武(wu)藤(teng)(teng)氏(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)、足(zu)(zu)利(li)氏(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)、佐佐木氏(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)、毛利(li)氏(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)、武(wu)田(tian)氏(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)、德川(chuan)氏(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)等...

注：明(ming)治維新之后，日本天皇曾冊封了(le)大批的新貴族，稱(cheng)為華(hua)族。一共509個姓氏，包(bao)括伊藤(teng)、山縣、松方(fang)等(deng)等(deng)。不過1947年(nian)之后，日本制(zhi)定新憲法，廢除了(le)日本的華(hua)族制(zhi)度。

日本五大政治家族（新貴族）

鳩山家(jia)(jia)族(zu)、小泉(quan)家(jia)(jia)族(zu)、安倍家(jia)(jia)族(zu)、麻生家(jia)(jia)族(zu)和福田家(jia)(jia)族(zu)

古(gu)代日(ri)本(ben)(ben)人(ren)沒(mei)有(you)姓(xing)，只有(you)名(ming)(ming)(ming)。后(hou)來(lai)隨著生產的(de)(de)(de)發(fa)展，特別是(shi)進入階(jie)級社會(hui)(hui)以(yi)(yi)后(hou)，在(zai)統治(zhi)(zhi)階(jie)級中間(jian)首先(xian)出(chu)現了氏(shi)(shi)和姓(xing)。氏(shi)(shi)是(shi)日(ri)本(ben)(ben)古(gu)代國家(jia)中的(de)(de)(de)一(yi)種政治(zhi)(zhi)組織。每個氏(shi)(shi)都(dou)有(you)自(zi)己的(de)(de)(de)名(ming)(ming)(ming)稱(cheng)(cheng)，叫(jiao)(jiao)做“氏(shi)(shi)名(ming)(ming)(ming)”。氏(shi)(shi)名(ming)(ming)(ming)是(shi)根(gen)據該(gai)氏(shi)(shi)族在(zai)朝(chao)廷中擔任的(de)(de)(de)職務或(huo)該(gai)氏(shi)(shi)族居住、管轄的(de)(de)(de)地方(fang)命名(ming)(ming)(ming)的(de)(de)(de)。例(li)如，在(zai)朝(chao)廷中主管祭把(ba)的(de)(de)(de)部(bu)門叫(jiao)(jiao)忌部(bu)，管理忌部(bu)的(de)(de)(de)氏(shi)(shi)族便稱(cheng)(cheng)為忌部(bu)氏(shi)(shi)，而出(chu)云(yun)氏(shi)(shi)、近江氏(shi)(shi)則(ze)是(shi)統治(zhi)(zhi)出(chu)云(yun)、近江地方(fang)的(de)(de)(de)氏(shi)(shi)族。日(ri)本(ben)(ben)古(gu)代的(de)(de)(de)“姓(xing)”是(shi)賜與(yu)氏(shi)(shi)的(de)(de)(de)稱(cheng)(cheng)號，以(yi)(yi)表示該(gai)氏(shi)(shi)的(de)(de)(de)社會(hui)(hui)政治(zhi)(zhi)地位。姓(xing)有(you)幾十(shi)種，它類似爵位，是(shi)世襲(xi)的(de)(de)(de)。各(ge)姓(xing)之間(jian)等級分明(ming)。例(li)如：臣(chen)、連(lian)、君、直等。

除氏、姓(xing)(xing)(xing)以(yi)外，公(gong)元九(jiu)、十(shi)世(shi)紀時還(huan)出現了一(yi)種新的稱(cheng)號(hao)叫苗(miao)(miao)字(zi)(zi)。苗(miao)(miao)是(shi)(shi)(shi)苗(miao)(miao)裔、分(fen)(fen)支的意(yi)思。苗(miao)(miao)字(zi)(zi)即(ji)一(yi)個(ge)(ge)家(jia)族從氏族本家(jia)分(fen)(fen)離(li)出去后(hou)的新姓(xing)(xing)(xing)。要(yao)言之，古代日本人的姓(xing)(xing)(xing)有(you)氏、姓(xing)(xing)(xing)、苗(miao)(miao)字(zi)(zi)三(san)個(ge)(ge)部分(fen)(fen)，分(fen)(fen)別表示一(yi)定的意(yi)義(yi)。一(yi)個(ge)(ge)古代貴族的姓(xing)(xing)(xing)名(ming)寫出來往往很長，如“藤原(yuan)朝臣九(jiu)條(tiao)兼(jian)實(shi)”。其中：藤原(yuan)是(shi)(shi)(shi)氏名(ming)，朝臣是(shi)(shi)(shi)姓(xing)(xing)(xing)，九(jiu)條(tiao)是(shi)(shi)(shi)苗(miao)(miao)字(zi)(zi)，兼(jian)實(shi)是(shi)(shi)(shi)名(ming)。后(hou)來，新的苗(miao)(miao)字(zi)(zi)大量增加，氏、姓(xing)(xing)(xing)、苗(miao)(miao)字(zi)(zi)逐漸合為一(yi)體，統稱(cheng)為苗(miao)(miao)字(zi)(zi)：在現代的日文中，苗(miao)(miao)字(zi)(zi)就(jiu)是(shi)(shi)(shi)我(wo)們(men)通常所說的姓(xing)(xing)(xing)的意(yi)思。

在(zai)既有(you)(you)氏、姓(xing)(xing)又有(you)(you)苗字的(de)貴族統治階(jie)級當(dang)中，天(tian)皇是一個例外。歷(li)史上的(de)日本天(tian)皇都(dou)沒有(you)(you)姓(xing)(xing)，只有(you)(you)名(ming)。在(zai)古代(dai)(dai)，天(tian)皇被認(ren)為是天(tian)神的(de)后(hou)代(dai)(dai)，具有(you)(you)至高無上的(de)權力(li)，因而(er)也(ye)就沒必要有(you)(you)姓(xing)(xing)。不僅是天(tian)皇，就連皇后(hou)和天(tian)皇的(de)子女(nv)也(ye)都(dou)沒有(you)(you)姓(xing)(xing)（天(tian)皇的(de)女(nv)兒長大(da)出嫁以(yi)后(hou)，可以(yi)姓(xing)(xing)丈夫(fu)的(de)姓(xing)(xing)）。