J.K. [says this][1] about the subject (related to the Sword of Gryffindor): > Within the magical world, physical possession is not necessarily a > guarantee of ownership. This concept applies to the three Deathly > Hallows, and also to Gryffindor's sword. > > I am interested in what happens when cultural beliefs collide. In the > Harry Potter books, ***the most militant of the goblin race*** consider all > goblin-made objects to be theirs by right Of special note is her use of the phrase "most militant" - this implies that goblin culture is not a mono-culture and that different sects may have different ideas. Additionally, given the use of the term 'goblin' here to denote the culture / race, there seems to be no indication that there wouldn't be the common sense ancestral passing down at play in militant goblin society. The distinction then is not just goblin / wizard but militant-goblin / goblin / wizard and how they view objects: rentals or owned [1]: https://www.pottermore.com/writing-by-jk-rowling/the-sword-of-gryffindor