The Project includes a DNA study to identify 37-marker sequences for the early "Ball" immigrants to New England in order to assist researchers with “brick walls” in their Ball ancestry to be able to focus on connection to the correct Ball immigrant. The Project uses the testing firm of FamilyTreeDNA and is part of a worldwide Ball surname study (see FamilyTreeDNA Ball Study and FamilyTreeDNA Privacy). The Project will not publically identify the names of our DNA project participants. The exception to this is between tests that match at least 33 of 37 markers, who will be put in contact with each other. Click on the following link (article) to read about some of the interesting results from this DNA study as written for the Summer 2011 issue of "American Ancestors" put out by the NEHGS.

What is DNA testing?

A man's paternal ancestry can be traced using the DNA on his Y chromosome. This is useful because the Y chromosome contains sequences of repeating “nucleotides” that pass from father to son mostly unchanged down many generations, with only the occasional mutation. Y-DNA testing done from scrapings from the mouth of living Ball-surname candidates involves looking at these repeating segments of DNA on the Y chromosome (short tandem repeats or STRs), which are referred to as genetic “markers”. The number of repetitions (known as the “allele”) for each marker varies from one surname to another. A more detailed discussion of yDNA test interpretation can be viewed at Wikipedia.

Funding for Additional Tests (you must be a male "Ball")

FREE testing is available to any Ball-surname descendant of a pre-1800 New England immigrant, provided his line is from a great-grandson of that immigrant not yet represented in the DNA study. Click on the email link at the bottom of this page to volunteer for testing.

Results Grid

The following tables present test results grouped by Ball immigrants to New England. "Brick wall" branch tests are grouped with the likely Ball immigrant.  When a group has three or more tests to compare, the markers highlighted in bright yellow are the only ones different from the "modal" or norm for those markers.

yDNA Test Results
12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031323334353637
#Line back to Immigrant /OR/ Head of Unconnected BranchHap3
9
3
3
9
0
1
9
/
3
9
4
3
9
1
3
8
5
a
3
8
5
b
4
2
6
3
8
8
4
3
9
3
8
9
-
1
3
9
2
3
8
9
-
2
4
5
8
4
5
9
a
4
5
9
b
4
5
5
4
5
4
4
4
7
4
3
7
4
4
8
4
4
9
4
6
4
a
4
6
4
b
4
6
4
c
4
6
4
d
4
6
0
Y

G
A
T
A

H
4
Y
C
A

I
I

a
Y
C
A

I
I

b
4
5
6
6
0
7
5
7
6
5
7
0
C
D
Y
a
C
D
Y
b
4
4
2
4
3
8
Col. William Ball - Great-grandfather of George Washington
Most Ball families in North America have heard that they were related to President George Washington, because the President’s mother was Mary Ball. Unfortunately none of the New England Ball yDNA tests listed below have matched this example from a verified Ball-surname-lineage descendant of Col. William Ball.
112926Match 33+ markers to qualify as a Ball relative of Washington
I-M253
1322141014141114111211281589811221620261214151611919211515171932371210
John Ball of Watertown and Lancaster MA
John Ball was born c1620 and died 1676 at Lancaster MA. He married first, say 1643, to Elizabeth Pierce; he married second, 1665, to Elizabeth Fox. This John Ball was reputed to be the son of the John Ball that died 1655 at Concord MA, as was Nathaniel Ball of Concord MA shown below, but it does not appear that John and Nathaniel are related.
2162374Joseph<John<James<James<John<John
G-P15
13221512141711121212112816991111231624281414141411919211514181834361110
263367Perry<Isaac<John<James<John<John
G-P15
13221511141711121212112816991111231624281414151511919211514181935381110
2150653Lemuel<Jonas<John<James<John<John
G-M201
13221511141711121212112816991111231624281414141411919211514181835371110
296898Joseph<Joseph<John<James<John<John
G-M201
13221511141711121212112816991111231624281414141511919211514181835371110
212629Fordyce<Elijah<Josiah<Joseph<John<John
G-P15
13221511141711121212112816991111231624281414151511919211514191835371110
225379Adonijah<Isaac<Isaac<Benjamin<John<John
G-P15
13221511141711121212112816991111231624281414141511919211514181835361110
2198881Isaac<Isaac<Isaac<Benjamin<John<John
G-M201
13221511141711121212112816991111231624281414141411919211514181835371110
2145040Solomon<Solomon<Jacob<Benjamin<John<John
G-M201
13221511141711121212112816991111231624281414141411919211514181835371110
234690Darius<Jacob<Jacob<Benjamin<John<John
G-M201
13221511141711121212112816991111231624291414141511919211514181835361110
2103308Darius<Jacob<Jacob<Benjamin<John<John
G-M201
13221511141711121212112816991111231624281414141511919211514181835371110
2736457Benjamin<Benjamin<Thomasl<Benjamin<John<John
G-M201
13221511141711121212112816991111231624281414141411919211514191835351110
2358685Elijah<Elijah<Phineas<Jonathan<John<John
G-M201
13221511141711121212112816991111231624281414141411919211514181835351110
299273Alvin<Moses<Daniel<Jonathan<John<John
G-M201
13221511141711121312112816991111231624281414141511919211514171835371110
247133Levi<Ezekiel<Daniel<Jonathan<John<John
G-M201
13221511141711121312112816991111231624281414141511919211514181835371110
2413316Abraham<Nathanl<Daniel<Jonathan<John<John
G-M201
13221511141711121312112816991111231624281414141411919211514181835351110
299033Daniel Ball (c1744-1825) and Hannah of Salisbury CT
G-P15
13221511141711121212112816991111231624281414141511919211514181835371110
2102076Amos Ball (1775 VT-after1850) of Tunkhannock PA
G-M201
13221511141711121212112816991111231624281414141511919211514191835371110
2105206Daniel Ball (c1793 VT-1860 MI) and Diantha Clark
G-M201
13221511141711121412112816991111231624281414141511919211514181835371110
2351284Silas Ball (c1818 NY-after 1880) and Samantha Mead of Alpine MI
G-M201
13221511141711121212112816991111231624281414141411919211514181834351110
2446617Samuel Ball (before 1756-1806 ME) and Phebe Urann
G-M201
13221511141711121212112816991111231624281414141511919211514161835351110
Edward Ball of Newark NJ
Edward Ball was born circa 1642 and he died circa 1724 in Essex County NJ. He married Abigail Blatchley circa 1664 at Branford CT. His family was one of the original families at Newark NJ in 1667 and many of his descendants migrated to the southern states.
313455Davis<Stephen<Davis<Nathaniel<Thomas<Edward
R-M269
132514911141212121313311891012112615192915151617111119231515191736381112
3201291James<Isaac<Joseph<Daniel<Joseph<Edward
R-M269
132514911141212121313311891012112615192915151617111119231515191736381112
3124630Aaron<Jonathan<Daniel<Jonathan<Joseph<Edward
R-M269
132514911141212121313311891012112615202915151617111119231515191736381112
3185381Elbert<Ezekiel<Timothy<Ezekiel<Thomas<Edward
R-M269
132514911141212121313311891012112615192915151617111019231515191736381112
3221126William<John<Samuel<Moses<Thomas<Edward
R-M269
132514911141212121313311891012112615193015151617111119231515191736381112
3360132Lucius<William<Jonathan<Moses<Thomas<Edward
R-M269
132515911141212121313311891011112615192915151617111119231515191736381112
3214541Tuscan<Frederickl<Stephen<Ezekiel<Thomas<Edward
R-M269
132514911141212121313301891012112615193015151617111119231515191736381112
3281362Jacob<Cornelius<Samuel<John<Caleb<Edward
R-M269
132514911141212121313311991011112615192815151617111119231514191736381112
3K59Caleb<Mathew<Mathew<Caleb<Caleb<Edward
R-M269
132514911141212121313301891012112615192915151617111119231515191736381112
3204255Noah<David Ball (c1727-1807) of Dartmouth MA
R-M269
132514911141212121313311891012112615192915151617111119231515191736381112
3102030Moses Ball (after1775-before1850) of Warren County NJ
R-M269
132514911141212121313301891012112615192915151617111119231515191736381112
310444Caleb<Zopher Ball (c1724-1803) of Mercer County PA
R-M269
132514911141212121313301891012112615192915151617
39740Caleb<Zopher Ball (c1724-1803) of Mercer County PA
R-M269
132514911141212121313301891012112615192915151617111119231515191736381112
3233366Isaiah<Zopher Ball (c1724-1803) of Mercer County PA
R-P312
132414911141212121313301891011112615192915151617111019231515191736371112
3330624James<Moses Ball (say1765-after1811) of Otsego County NY
R-M269
132514911141212121313311891012112615192915151617111119231515191736391112
311307Joseph Hunter Ball (before1783-1842) of Athens AL and MO
R-M269
132514911141212121313301891012112615193015151617111119231515191736381212
3656500Caleb Ball (married Sarah Davis about 1849 in Allegheny Co. PA)
R-M269
132514911141212121313301891012112615193015151617111119231515191736381212
Nathaniel Ball of Concord MA
Nathaniel Ball was born c1625 and died 1709 at Concord MA. He married first circa 1648 to Mary and second 1670 to Margery Knight. Nathaniel was purported to be a son of the John Ball that died 1655 at Concord MA,as was John Ball of Watertown MA shown above, but it does not appear that John and Nathaniel are related.
4121767Abraham<Abraham<Ebenezer<Jeremiah<Nathaniel<Nathaniel
R-P311
132314111114121211131329179911112515193114151717101119221314161837401212
4245446Hosea<Ebenezer<Ebenezer<Jeremiah<Nathaniel<Nathaniel
R-P311
132314111114121211131329179911112515193114151717101119221314161837401212
4110078Jesse<John<Ebenezer<Nathaniel<Nathaniel<Nathaniel
R-M269
132314111114121212131329179911112515193114151717111119221314171837401212
Francis Ball of Springfield MA
Francis Ball was born before 1625, was a settler of Springfield MA 1640 and died 1648. He married Abigail Burt in 1644.
5215151Lysander<Eusebius<Noah<Benjamin<Jonathan<Francis
I-M253
1322151013141114111211281489811241620301215151710919211414151935371310
5123766Stephen<Marmaduke<Libbeus<Jonathan<Jonathan<Francis
I-M253
1322151014141114111211281489811241620291215151710919211414152035371310
512351Stephen<Libbeus<Libbeus<Jonathan<Jonathan<Francis
I-M253
13221510131411141112112814898112416202912151517
Alling Ball of New Haven CT
Alling Ball was born before 1630 and died 1689 in East Haven CT. He married his wife Dorothy circa 1646.
6415325Ezekiel<Glover<John<John<John<Alling
R-M269
1323141111151212111213281791011112514192915151717111119221615151736381112
6515110Jared<David<Joseph<Caleb<John<Alling
R-M269
1323141111151212111213281791011112514193015151717111119221615151737371112
6291639Benjamin Ball (say 1793-1837) and Rhoda of CT and Delaware OH
R-M269
1323141111151212111213281791011112514192915151717111119221615151736381112
6363676Francis_Eliphalet<:Stephen1323141111151212111213281791011112614192915151717111119221615151736381112
6928109Peter_Flamen<Stephen<Eliphalet<John<John<Alling1323141111151212111213281791011112514193015151717111119221615151736381112
Edward Ball of Block Island RI
Edward Ball was born circa 1640 and died 16 August 1714 on Block Island RI. He married circa 1665 to Mary George, daughter of one of the original settlers of Block Island.
7110021Caleb<Lyman<John<Edward<John<Edward
R-M512
1325151011141210101311321591011112514193312141417111119231516192032401311
7127443James<James<Edward<Edward<John<Edward
R-M512
1325151011141210101311321591011112514193312141417111119231516192032401311
Francis Ball of Dorchester MA
Francis Ball was born circa 1624 and died February 1689/90. He married Abigail Salter 1663 at Dorchester MA.
8123039Rufus<Alanson<Joseph<Ebenezer<Benjamin<Francis
R-M269
1323141110141212141313291791011112515192915151717111119231615171836381212
8123668Azro<Roswell<Humphrey<Ebenezer<Benjamin<Francis
R-M269
1324151111141212121313281791111112515193115161718111119201715181737381212
James Ball of Boston MA
James Ball was born circa 1690 and married 1708 to Mary Mauge at Boston MA.
9110035Charles<Walter<Samuel<Samuel<James<James
I-M223
15231510151611131114123214101011112514202711111616111119211414161938381210
9259337Edgar<Walter<Samuel (say 1766-before 1830) of Cayuga County NY
I-P37
1324171114171113121311311781011112515193012141515101121211512181933341110
Henry Ball of VA and St. Catharines Ontario
Henry Ball was born a slave c1818 in Virginia and escaped to Canada. He died c1853 in Ontario. He married 1841 Sophia Hussey at Toronto ON. Descendants migrated into CT
10162375Richard<Richard<Henry
R-M269
142414111114121213131330179911112515193015161617111118231515181736381212
Abraham Ball of Ireland and Portneuf Quebec
Abraham Ball was born circa 1824 in Ireland and died 1892 at Halesboro QC Canada. Abraham and brothers Charles and John arrived in Quebec before 1846. Descendants migrated into Maine.
11126337Samuel<John<Abraham
R-P312
1322141111141212131313291891011112614193115151717101219231515201835401212
Please direct additions and corrections to the Project Compiler below.