<p>As a competing answer to the one of <a href="https://anime.stackexchange.com/a/11336/1751">@MadaraUchiha</a>, here's my take.</p>

<p>The clan belonging is solved quite easily. The clan-belonging is given through the generations maternally. </p>

<p>This means what decides the clan is not the father, but the <strong>mother</strong>. In Naruto's case that is Kushina Uzumaki</p>

<p>Other than that, the <a href="http://naruto.wikia.com/wiki/Clans" rel="nofollow noreferrer">naruto-wiki</a> gives some nice information:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>A clan (一族, Ichizoku; <strong>Literally meaning "family"</strong>), in the loosest
  sense of the term, refers to a family or group of shinobi who form a
  basic unit of a shinobi village. Majority of these clans were <strong>mercenary military forces</strong> even before the First Shinobi World War. [...] Membership in a clan is usually determined by <strong>blood relations and genetics</strong>, which is vital in the usage of kekkei genkai and secret techniques. [...]  While clans <strong>may be composed of many individuals</strong> and extended families, many clans mentioned and seen in the series were somewhat <strong>limited to a nuclear family.</strong>
  <sub>Highlighting by me</sub></p>
</blockquote>

<p>It seems that the most clans seen, are just the mentioned nuclear families. This leads to the assumption, that one line of family that somewhen declared itself a clan <strong>is</strong> a clan. Some family lines had more offspring, and some had less. for example the Hyuuga-clan has multiple branch families, who are subordinate to the main family. The Uchiha clan on the other hand seems to just be loosely organized.</p>

<p>Some clans seem to have a definitive familiy head (Hyuuga, Akimichi, Nara). Other clans are not organized (Uchiha, Uzumaki, Inuzuka, [...]). </p>

<p>Clans mostly differ in chakra affinity and Kekkei Genkai, as well as battle style. In fact that seems to be the only thing shared in a clan. This Chakra affinity seems to be genetic, so that you are rather born into a clan than "join" it. It seems that not every person has his / her own clan, most prominent examples are probably <a href="http://naruto.wikia.com/wiki/Kakashi" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Kakashi Hatake</a> and <a href="http://naruto.wikia.com/wiki/Gai" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Might Guy</a>.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-03-21T03:00:47.397Z
So son of Uzumaki Naruto and Hyuuga Hinata should be Hyuuga Boruto, instead of [Uzumaki Boruto](http://naruto.wikia.com/wiki/Boruto_Uzumaki), huh? Same with [Uzumaki Himawari](http://naruto.wikia.com/wiki/Himawari_Uzumaki).
Sen Jacob
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-11-20T05:00:46.973Z
This answer is wrong. It was stated that Naruto's name was changed to Uzumaki so that enemies of the 4th Hokage wouldn't go after Naruto
John D
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-11-20T10:54:34.750Z
@JohnD [citation needed]? Also that's a pretty implausible reason, in-universe
Vogel612
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-06-18T11:36:50.120Z
2014-06-18T11:36:50.120Z
2017-04-13T12:54:49.117Z
Vogel612
<p>All humans came from the same ancestor ("Adam"), does that make us all family? Technically it does. Realistically, so much time had passed that no one looks at it that way.</p>

<p>This is the same. Based on the latest chapter, it indeed seems as though Hagoromo was the ancestor of the Uchiha and Senju clans, while Hamura (at least based on his eyes in the picture) was the ancestor of the Hyuuga clan.</p>

<p>That makes them all one big happy family, except that this history is long forgotten, and no one views it like that anymore. </p>

<p>As for clan ownership, Naruto belongs to the Uzumaki clan because his mother was from the Uzumaki clan. The Uzumaki is a subclan of the Senju, which is related to the Uchiha. Does that make Naruto an Uchiha? Not really.</p>

<p>Clan ownership is determined by birth, not ability. </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-06-18T10:45:13.417Z
I dont agree. Consider the adam's example. Adam and eve would've got children and grand children etc. A group of people among them could've migrated to different place. After several decades, they could've forgotten their baseline and formed different clans. This is a long process. How come direct blood brothers are from different clans ?
Kaguya Otsutsuki
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-06-18T10:46:03.667Z
Because each of them inherited different prowesses. They divided themselves from one another, and ended up being separated. The stone monument was the only thing that remained as history from that time. Also, shouldn't you know your own grandchildren? What kind of a grandma are you?
Madara's Ghost
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-06-18T10:54:25.627Z
Lol, my grandchildren have forgotten their root and fighting with each other. That's why I am taking their chakra back. However two kids are trying to stop me, and you call them heroes?? Ridiculous :P
Kaguya Otsutsuki
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-06-18T10:56:22.793Z
@KaguyaOtsutsuki I am tempted to upvote your question, solely for the fact that you killed our mod...
Vogel612
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-06-18T10:58:23.477Z
Also: assuming that "Adam" actually existed and we didn't evolve from amobea (though we would just all come from amobea no. [..] and the point remains) ;) But I think that would be better fit for [christianity.se], [islam.se] or [skeptics.se]
Vogel612
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-06-18T11:04:54.127Z
@All Dont get distracted by adam example. Question is only about naruto :)
Kaguya Otsutsuki
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-11-20T05:04:00.163Z
Didn't Kaguya come from another planet? So, all humans aren't related to her :) Also, how has no one mentioned that the sage of 6 paths gave normal people the ability to wield chakra?
John D
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-06-18T10:23:22.387Z
2014-06-18T10:23:22.387Z
Madara's Ghost
<p>All humans are not descendants of Kaguya. </p>

<p>Only a small amount are and they are all most all extinct i.e Uchiha, Uzumaki, Senju, Hyuga, Kaguya clans.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-12-04T19:41:23.037Z
2016-12-04T19:41:23.037Z
wiwiiw
<p>IIRC, it is not explicitly stated if you get your clan name based off the father and mother. But typically the wife would take the husbands name, for instance Hinata Uzumaki.</p>
<p>If you go by the principle that the wife will take the husbands name, which does not happen on a few rare occasions, it is just common sense that you'd get the fathers name, as the mother married into the clan. However, Minato is of Namikaze and Kushina is of Uzumaki, yet Naruto is named Uzumaki. Kushina never took Minato's last name because Minato had tons of enemies that sought his life and if Naruto was named Namikaze, it'd make those same people go after Naruto. Naruto wasn't named Namikaze because that would have put him in danger.</p>
<p>Now, for your second question.</p>
<p>It is correct that all chakra started from Kaguya Otsutsuki, but that does not mean that everyone should be related to her. Remember, when Kaguya had Hagoromo and Hamura, the chakra was accidentally inherited into them. Kaguya tried taking it back which eventually lead to her being sealed by Hagoromo and Hamura. Hagoromo saw chakra as not a weapon, but a power that can link everyone's soul and hearts, leading all to love each other.</p>
<p>Hagoromo saw chakra as a power that would bring people together, and did so by giving others chakra that did not directly inherit it from his mother, Kaguya. Because of this, clans like the Aburame and Inuzuka are most likely descendants of those Hagoromo passed chakra onto. Remember that once Hagoromo passed chakra onto others it would now become an inherited power.</p>
<p>Uzumaki, Senju, Uchiha, Hyuga, and Kaguya clan are all descendants of the Otsutsuki, more specifically Kaguya, and other clans such as the Inuzuka are most likely descendants of those Hagoromo passed chakra onto.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-04-12T21:56:53.237Z
2021-04-12T21:56:53.237Z
ᴅᴀɴɪᴇʟッ
<h3>On what basis were the clans formed in naruto?</h3>
<p>The blood siblings Indra and Ashura are from different clans (Uchiha &amp; Senju respectively)., whereas other siblings, e.g. Itachi and Sasuke are from the same clan (Uchiha).</p>
<p>The first shinobi who got chakra was Kaguya. So, technically whoever posesses chakra should've inherited it from her. In that case, all should be from the same clan.</p>
<p>Now, here's my long time doubt. How is it decided that Naruto is from the Uzumaki clan when his father is from the Namikaze family and has no clan?</p>
<p>Is a person's clan decided based on the abilities of the person? If yes, how is their ability evaluated right after they are born?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-06-18T11:00:04.510Z
Is this asking how the clan-belonging is decided? or is this asking how the clans formed?
Vogel612
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-06-18T11:10:41.310Z
I guess the question covers both.
Kaguya Otsutsuki
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-06-19T11:45:12.547Z
@Vogel612 Thanks for fixing the question. Is there a namikaze clan ? I doubt that part. [Check this](http://naruto.wikia.com/wiki/Clans)
Kaguya Otsutsuki
<naruto>
Clarification on clan formation?
# Clarification on clan formation?
Posted by: username_0 on 2014-06-18
### On what basis were the clans formed in naruto?

The blood siblings Indra and Ashura are from different clans (Uchiha & Senju respectively)., whereas other siblings, e.g. Itachi and Sasuke are from the same clan (Uchiha).

The first shinobi who got chakra was Kaguya. So, technically whoever posesses chakra should've inherited it from her. In that case, all should be from the same clan.

Now, here's my long time doubt. How is it decided that Naruto is from the Uzumaki clan when his father is from the Namikaze family and has no clan?

Is a person's clan decided based on the abilities of the person? If yes, how is their ability evaluated right after they are born?
**Tags:** naruto
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Is this asking how the clan-belonging is decided? or is this asking how the clans formed?  
> **username_0**: I guess the question covers both.  
> **username_0**: @Vogel612 Thanks for fixing the question. Is there a namikaze clan ? I doubt that part. [Check this](http://naruto.wikia.com/wiki/Clans)  
---
## 4 answers
### Answer by username_1 on 2014-06-18. Score: 4
As a competing answer to the one of [@MadaraUchiha](https://anime.stackexchange.com/a/11336/1751), here's my take.

The clan belonging is solved quite easily. The clan-belonging is given through the generations maternally.

This means what decides the clan is not the father, but the **mother**. In Naruto's case that is Kushina Uzumaki

Other than that, the [naruto-wiki](http://naruto.wikia.com/wiki/Clans) gives some nice information:

> A clan (一族, Ichizoku; **Literally meaning "family"**), in the loosest
> sense of the term, refers to a family or group of shinobi who form a
> basic unit of a shinobi village. Majority of these clans were **mercenary military forces** even before the First Shinobi World War. [...] Membership in a clan is usually determined by **blood relations and genetics**, which is vital in the usage of kekkei genkai and secret techniques. [...] While clans **may be composed of many individuals** and extended families, many clans mentioned and seen in the series were somewhat **limited to a nuclear family.**
> Highlighting by me

It seems that the most clans seen, are just the mentioned nuclear families. This leads to the assumption, that one line of family that somewhen declared itself a clan **is** a clan. Some family lines had more offspring, and some had less. for example the Hyuuga-clan has multiple branch families, who are subordinate to the main family. The Uchiha clan on the other hand seems to just be loosely organized.

Some clans seem to have a definitive familiy head (Hyuuga, Akimichi, Nara). Other clans are not organized (Uchiha, Uzumaki, Inuzuka, [...]).

Clans mostly differ in chakra affinity and Kekkei Genkai, as well as battle style. In fact that seems to be the only thing shared in a clan. This Chakra affinity seems to be genetic, so that you are rather born into a clan than "join" it. It seems that not every person has his / her own clan, most prominent examples are probably [Kakashi Hatake](http://naruto.wikia.com/wiki/Kakashi) and [Might Guy](http://naruto.wikia.com/wiki/Gai).
> **Comments:**
> **username_2** (2016-03-21): So son of Uzumaki Naruto and Hyuuga Hinata should be Hyuuga Boruto, instead of [Uzumaki Boruto](http://naruto.wikia.com/wiki/Boruto_Uzumaki), huh? Same with [Uzumaki Himawari](http://naruto.wikia.com/wiki/Himawari_Uzumaki).  
> **username_3** (2017-11-20): This answer is wrong. It was stated that Naruto's name was changed to Uzumaki so that enemies of the 4th Hokage wouldn't go after Naruto  
> **username_1** (2017-11-20): @JohnD [citation needed]? Also that's a pretty implausible reason, in-universe  
---
### Answer by username_4 on 2014-06-18. Score: 2
All humans came from the same ancestor ("Adam"), does that make us all family? Technically it does. Realistically, so much time had passed that no one looks at it that way.

This is the same. Based on the latest chapter, it indeed seems as though Hagoromo was the ancestor of the Uchiha and Senju clans, while Hamura (at least based on his eyes in the picture) was the ancestor of the Hyuuga clan.

That makes them all one big happy family, except that this history is long forgotten, and no one views it like that anymore.

As for clan ownership, Naruto belongs to the Uzumaki clan because his mother was from the Uzumaki clan. The Uzumaki is a subclan of the Senju, which is related to the Uchiha. Does that make Naruto an Uchiha? Not really.

Clan ownership is determined by birth, not ability.
> **Comments:**
> **username_0** (2014-06-18): I dont agree. Consider the adam's example. Adam and eve would've got children and grand children etc. A group of people among them could've migrated to different place. After several decades, they could've forgotten their baseline and formed different clans. This is a long process. How come direct blood brothers are from different clans ?  
> **username_4** (2014-06-18): Because each of them inherited different prowesses. They divided themselves from one another, and ended up being separated. The stone monument was the only thing that remained as history from that time. Also, shouldn't you know your own grandchildren? What kind of a grandma are you?  
> **username_0** (2014-06-18): Lol, my grandchildren have forgotten their root and fighting with each other. That's why I am taking their chakra back. However two kids are trying to stop me, and you call them heroes?? Ridiculous :P  
> **username_1** (2014-06-18): @KaguyaOtsutsuki I am tempted to upvote your question, solely for the fact that you killed our mod...  
> **username_1** (2014-06-18): Also: assuming that "Adam" actually existed and we didn't evolve from amobea (though we would just all come from amobea no. [..] and the point remains) ;) But I think that would be better fit for [christianity.se], [islam.se] or [skeptics.se]  
> **username_0** (2014-06-18): @All Dont get distracted by adam example. Question is only about naruto :)  
> **username_3** (2017-11-20): Didn't Kaguya come from another planet? So, all humans aren't related to her :) Also, how has no one mentioned that the sage of 6 paths gave normal people the ability to wield chakra?  
---
### Answer by username_5 on 2016-12-04. Score: 1
All humans are not descendants of Kaguya.

Only a small amount are and they are all most all extinct i.e Uchiha, Uzumaki, Senju, Hyuga, Kaguya clans.
---
### Answer by username_6 on 2021-04-12. Score: 0
IIRC, it is not explicitly stated if you get your clan name based off the father and mother. But typically the wife would take the husbands name, for instance Hinata Uzumaki.

If you go by the principle that the wife will take the husbands name, which does not happen on a few rare occasions, it is just common sense that you'd get the fathers name, as the mother married into the clan. However, Minato is of Namikaze and Kushina is of Uzumaki, yet Naruto is named Uzumaki. Kushina never took Minato's last name because Minato had tons of enemies that sought his life and if Naruto was named Namikaze, it'd make those same people go after Naruto. Naruto wasn't named Namikaze because that would have put him in danger.

Now, for your second question.

It is correct that all chakra started from Kaguya Otsutsuki, but that does not mean that everyone should be related to her. Remember, when Kaguya had Hagoromo and Hamura, the chakra was accidentally inherited into them. Kaguya tried taking it back which eventually lead to her being sealed by Hagoromo and Hamura. Hagoromo saw chakra as not a weapon, but a power that can link everyone's soul and hearts, leading all to love each other.

Hagoromo saw chakra as a power that would bring people together, and did so by giving others chakra that did not directly inherit it from his mother, Kaguya. Because of this, clans like the Aburame and Inuzuka are most likely descendants of those Hagoromo passed chakra onto. Remember that once Hagoromo passed chakra onto others it would now become an inherited power.

Uzumaki, Senju, Uchiha, Hyuga, and Kaguya clan are all descendants of the Otsutsuki, more specifically Kaguya, and other clans such as the Inuzuka are most likely descendants of those Hagoromo passed chakra onto.
---
