摂津源氏の流れを汲む源頼行（源頼政の弟）を祖とする一族であり、頼行の孫である源頼連が鎌倉時代に越後国小国保（新潟県長岡市小国町）の地頭となり小国氏を称した。

The first generation was MINAMOTO no Yoriyuki (a younger brother of MINAMOTO no Yorimasa), who was descended from Settsu Genji (Minamoto clan), and in the Kamakura period his grandchild MINAMOTO no Yoritsura became the jito (land steward) of Oguniho in Echigo Province (the present-day Oguni-cho, Nagaoka City, Nigata Prefecture) and took the name of Oguni. - Wikipedia日英京都関連文書対訳コーパス

小国頼連（おぐによりつぐ、よりつら、生没年未詳）は、鎌倉時代前期の武将・御家人。

Yoritugu (Yoritsura) OGUNI (the date of birth and death unknown) was a busho (Japanese military commander) and gokenin (shogunal retainer) in the early Kamakura period. - Wikipedia日英京都関連文書対訳コーパス