My Mother's Surname Snowball intriqued me as a child and serious research commenced mid 1980's. My grandfather Arthur Snowball born 1880 Greatham, Co Durham, a Cabinet Maker/Joiner began my  years of research and continues as more records become available.  
 Decendant branches are from earliest ancestor Richard Snowball (spelt Snawball)born about 1520/5  St Nicholas, Durham, Co Durham during reign of King Henry VIII. My Mother Eva Snowball was a direct 15th generation descendant from Richard 1520 via his surviving  gt gt grandson Richard Snowball born 1631 St Nicholas,Durham and his 1st wife Margaret. There are connecting branch lines in Northumberland at Hedley, Ovingham and Corbridge from Thomas  Snowball born 1683 Durham son of our Richard 1631 and his 2nd wife.  That Thomas moved to Hedley after marriage to Margaret Surtees (her family Surtees believed to be  land owners in Durham and Northumberland). 
  There are 2 known Snowball family crests. 
  In England 1881 census Snowball surname concentrated only in Co Durham and Yorkshire with  a small pocket in Northumberland - now the surname exists around the world.  Am currently adding data here from my previous 2000/1 internet website "Snowballs of Co Durham"   including 1 branchline group from 2 brothers William & Cuthbert Snowball,Masons and Builders)from  Corbridge who moved to Wolsingham. William had sons who emigrated to Carlton, Australia.  Unrelated with these from Corbridge or Durham was another group surname Snowball at Wolsingham.   Earliest found Wolsingham was Thomas Snowball with wife Hannah Gibbons - their origin uncertain  but he neither John born 1724 or Thomas born 1726 (he died 1729)sons of John Snowball born 1698 at  Lanchester.Son John Snowball had wife Alice with 2 daughters born 1760 & 1762 Lanchester.   Possibly Thomas at Wolsingham was one baptised 28 October 1722 Lanchester son of  Nathaniel Snowball/Margaret Revellay married 21 March 1717 Lanchester. Thomas's wife Hannah died 1804 Wolsingham aged 85 therefore her birth year about 1719. No connection found with Nathaniel to our other Snowballs at Durham.     
 There are Snowballs at Ryton to investigate and there is a further family group origin unknown at  Hartburn and Capheaton but included in list. Earliest Snowball there being Cuthbert Snowball/ wife  Margaret having 7 children with descendants at Hartburn, from 1722.

During search of Wolsingham Snowballs to find reason for my ancestor William Snowball  born 1815 and his brother Alexander both born Wolsingham instead of Witton Gilbert as their  siblings,I found the connection due to Joseph Snowball of Witton Gilbert's wife Eleanor Robinson. - Her parents - Alexander Robinson/Eleanor Crow (born Brancepeth)were then living at Wolsingham.  There is no direct connection for these with the other Snowball families at Wolsingham.

Research is from Bishop Transcripts,IGI,census, Wills,family history & public records England.  Australian ship passenger lists & a wealth of information Australian newspaper collections. My original site also enabled contact with & confirmation by descendants of their branches with   whom I shared my data & they theirs.
  My thanks to Joan Justice(Snowball descendant)for her help with bishop transcripts and her own  branchline information and supplying Feathers Inn photograph,Hedley.  Also Mary Barnes wife of my relative William Snowball for her data about first known  ancestor John 
 Snowball c1520,son,Roger 1548 his son John 1585 she personally researched at D.R.O during 1990's.  We can all make mistakes and if you see some here or can add further information on the families  herein please contact me. I try not to include living persons or others prefering privacy.