The name "ball clay" is believed to derive from the time when the clay was mined by hand. It was cut into 15 to 17 kilogram cubes and during transport the corners of the cubes became rounded off leaving "balls

The ceramic use of ball clays in Britain dates back to at least the Roman era. More recent trade began when a clay was needed to construct tobacco pipes in the 16th and 17th century. In 1771 Josiah Wedgwood signed a contract for 1400 tons a year of ball clay with Thomas Hyde of Purbeck, enabling him to fire thinner-walled ceramics