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Ball is a surname of English origin. First mention of the name appeared in Cheshire. This surname has multiple potential origins, as do quite a few other short surnames: *one origin relates to body type and arose as a nickname, originally from Middle English〔 *likewise, another origin relates to baldness, again arising as a nickname〔 *another purported origin is related to living near a "knoll or rounded hill"〔 *the surname may also descend from the Old Norse personal name "Balle"〔 *it could be a toponymic surname, related to Ball, Cornwall, England〔 A multiplicity of origins for this surname is also supported by genetic analysis.〔 In the United Kingdom, according to a study based on data available from Experian, the surname has declined in use by 55% between 1881 and 2008, possibly though not certainly due to negative connotation elicited by the surname.〔 ==List of people with the surname== Ball is a surname shared by several notable people: ;born before 1800 *John Ball (priest) (died 1381), English Lollard priest; prominent figure in the Peasants' Revolt *Bartholomew Ball (died 1573), Lord Mayor of Dublin from 1553-1554; husband of Margaret Ball and father of Walter Ball and Nicholas Ball *Margaret Ball (1515–1584), beatified by the Roman Catholic Church as martyr of the faith; wife of Bartholomew Ball and mother of Walter Ball and Nicholas Ball *Walter Ball (Alderman) (died 1598), Lord Mayor of Dublin from 1580-1581; son of Bartholomew Ball and Margaret Ball *Nicholas Ball (Alderman) (died 1609), Lord Mayor of Dublin from 1582-1583; son of Bartholomew Ball and Margaret Ball *William Ball (astronomer) (or Balle), British astronomer; Founder Fellow of the Royal Society (''c.'' 1627–1690) *John Ball (Puritan) (1585–1640), English Puritan author and educator *Alexander Ball (c. 1756 – 1809), English Admiral of the Royal Navy and Governor of Malta *William Lee Ball, Virginia congressman (1781–1824) *Catherine Ball, later called the Baroness de Calabrella (c. 1788 – 1856), British writer and newspaper owner *Henry Lidgbird Ball (1756–1818), British Royal Navy officer, who discovered and explored Lord Howe Island *John Ball (pioneer) (1794–1884), American pioneer and state politician *Edward Hughes Ball (1798–1863), later Edward Hughes Ball Hughes or "The Golden Ball", British dandy *Mary Ball Washington (1706–1789) Mother of George Washington, born Mary Ball ;born before 1900 *Nicholas Ball (Irish lawyer) (died 1865), Irish barrister *Edward Ball (congressman) (1811–1872), American national politician *Mary Ball (1812–1892), Irish naturalist and entomologist *John Ball (naturalist) (1818–1889), Irish politician, naturalist and Alpine traveller *Thomas Ball (artist) (1819–1911), American sculptor *Benjamin Ball (physician) (1833-1893), English-born French psychiatrist *Mottrom D. Ball (1835-1887), American government official *Robert Stawell Ball (1840-1913), astronomer *Webb C. Ball (1847–1922), American Railroad Engineer, who established the first rules for railroad chronometers *Leo Anton Karl de Ball (1853–1916), German-Austrian astronomer *Edmund Ball (1855–1925), American entrepreneur, one of the Ball Brothers *Frank Ball (1857–1943), American entrepreneur, one of the Ball Brothers *Robert James Ball, British M.P. *Thomas Henry Ball (1859–1944), American national politician *L. Heisler Ball (1861–1932), American physician and national politician *John Ball (golfer) (1861–1940), English amateur golfer *Elmer Darwin Ball (1870–1943), American entomologist *Walter Ball (baseball player) (1877–1946), Negro League baseball player *Neal Ball, baseball player *Hugo Ball (1886–1927), German author and poet *William Ball (footballer), English footballer (1886–1942) *Edward Ball (businessman) (1888–1981), American businessman and political figure *Albert Ball (1896–1917), English First World War fighter pilot; recipient of the Victoria Cross *Thomas R. Ball (1896–1943), U.S. Representative from Connecticut *Clifford Ball, author ;born before 1950 *William Macmahon Ball, Australian academic and diplomat (1901–1986) *Joseph H. Ball (1905–1993), American journalist and national politician *Rudi Ball (1910–1975), only athlete of Jewish descent to represent Germany in the 1936 Winter Olympic Games *Lucille Ball (1911–1989), American comedienne and actress *Walter Ball (cartoonist) (born 1911) *John Ball (American author) (1911–1988), American author *Estil C. Ball, American folk musician *Harvey Ball (1921–2001), American entrepreneur; earliest known designer of the Smiley *Alan Ball, Sr. (1924–1982), English professional footballer and football club manager *Bobby Ball (auto racer) (1925–1954), American racecar driver *David Standish Ball (born 1926), American Episcopal bishop *Ernie Ball (1930–2004), American entrepreneur, musician, and guitar innovator *Kenny Ball (1930–2013), English jazz musician *William Ball (stage director), American stage director (1931–1991) *Michael Ball (bishop) (born 1932), English Anglican clergyman; former Bishop of Truro *Christopher Ball, British composer *Johnny Ball (born 1938), English television personality *Sam Ball, NFL lineman *Arnie Ball (born 1944), American volleyball coach (also father of Lloy Ball, below) *Alan Ball, Jr. (1945–2007), English professional footballer and football club manager *Nicholas Ball (actor) (born 1946), English actor *John M. Ball (born 1948), British mathematician *William L. Ball III, United States Secretary of the Navy *Marcia Ball (born 1949), American blues singer and pianist *Professor Samuel Ball (educator) (1935–2009), Australian education researcher ;born in or after 1950 *Dave Ball (musician) (born 1950), English guitarist *Catie Ball, Olympian Ball, Cornwall *Donna Ball, writer *David Ball (country musician) (born 1953), American country musician *Sonja Ball (born 1956), Canadian voice actress *Alan Ball (screenwriter) (born 1957) *Edward Ball (American author) (born 1958) *David Ball (musician) (born 1959), English electronic musician (usually known as Dave) *Keith Martin Ball (born 1960), English mathematician *Michael Ball (singer) (born 1962), English actor and singer *Martin Ball, actor *Kevin Ball, soccer player *Angeline Ball, actress *Jeff Ball (baseball), baseball player *Zoë Ball (born 1970), English radio and television personality *John Ball (soccer) (born 1972), American professional soccer player *Lloy Ball (born 1972), American volleyball player *Samuel Ball (actor), American actor *Gregory R. Ball (born 1977), American state politician *Michael Ball (footballer) (born 1979), English professional footballer *Dave Ball (defensive end) (born 1981), American professional football player *Ashleigh Ball (voice actress) (born 1983), Canadian voice actress and musician *David Ball (wide receiver) (born 1984), American professional football player *Reggie Ball (born 1984), American professional football player *Luke Ball (born 1984), Australian rules footballer *Alan Ball (American football) (born 1985) *Ashleigh Ball (field hockey) (born 1986), English field hockey player *Carsten Ball (born 1987), Australian tennis player *Ed Ball (musician) (living), English singer-songwriter, musician and businessman *Loren C. Ball, American astronomer (active since 2000) *Roger Ball, industrial designer *Ron Ball, British Police and Crime Commissioner *Montee Ball (born 1990), American professional football player *Katie Ball (born 1995), Lead singer of relatively unknown band, The Just Mustards
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