Recently there has been a development in the FamilyTreeDNA, often referred to as FTDNA, Ballard group III. The BigY, as it’s referred to, shows Eaton families with Ballard Lineage III YDNA. The BigY has discovered a common Eaton ancestor and several surnames in the direct YDNA line. It currently looks like it goes back to England around 1540 CE to 1630 CE. The SNP Tree of this group shows 29% Ballard, 29% Eaton and a few more. 58% Ballard – Eaton, 42% other. This looks to be around the time that this Ballard family line broke off from the Eaton family line.

Because there are only a handful of male Ballard’s that have taken the BigY test, it is put simply, stuck there. The more male Ballard’s that test in BigY, fathers, brothers, cousins, the more detailed we get. Currently the Ballard DNA Project, https://www.familytreedna.com/public/ballard?iframe=ycolorized, is in a search for whom the common Eaton ancestor is.