noun
hereditary title; kabane
Historical term for a hereditary title used in ancient Japan to denote rank and political standing within the court system.
古代日本では、姓は氏族の地位を示す重要な称号だった。
In ancient Japan, kabane were important titles indicating the status of a clan.
noun
Archaic use referring to a clan or family group, often associated with the hereditary title system.
古い文献では、「姓」を「かばね」と読んで氏族を指すことがある。
In old texts, 姓 read as かばね can refer to a clan.
名字 (myōji) is the modern term for surname, whereas 姓 (kabane) is an ancient title system.
The term かばね is of native Japanese origin, historically used to denote hereditary titles in the Yamato court. The exact derivation is uncertain.