Thurston mentions that the origin of the title Ballal is explained by a proverb which goes when a Bunt becomes powerful he becomes a Ballal and that it reflects a claim of descent from the Hoysala Ballal kings. The Hoysalas had matrimonial relations with the Alupa royal family of coastal Karnataka. In the Book Prachina Tulunadu, The writers N.S. Kille and N.A Sheenappa Heggade state that following the decline of Alupas, the coastal region of Karnataka came under the sway of powerful local Bunt-Jain feudal families who established feudatory states or chiefdoms. These Feudal lords and petty kings were generally referred to as Bunt Ballals and later owed allegiance to the Vijayanagara Empire. Due to Brahmanization some small kings in the southern regions of erstwhile South Canara and North Kerala sought to establish their high prestige and separate royal identity from the castes of their origin. The Samantha and Varma Ballal kings were therefore descendants of the Bunt-Nadava caste. Various Ballal families are frequently mentioned in Tulufolk songs called Pardana. The Folk epic of Koti and Chennayya for example describes a battle between three Bunt Ballal princes namely the Ballal of Padumale, the Ballal of Panja and the Ballal of Yenmoor. Following the chaos that followed the fall of the Vijayanagara Empire, The Nayakas of Keladi took control of the area and seem to have subdued a confederacy of the various Ballal families that held sway in the coastal region of Karnataka. The Ballals of Guedumardady, Manipary, Doltady, Kulur, Panambur, Pedanar, Mudibidri, Yerumal, Kapu, Katpadi, Nidambur, Chittupadi, Belor, Konnara, Mudradi, Hebri, Hiretor, Tomboso, Anaji, Tagrette, Herar, Gololer, Agumbe, Muttur, Malor, Modicar, Adolly, Muloly and Vitla were said to have been subdued and they were forced to pay annual tributes. The title Ballal in its feminine formBallalthi also appears to have been born by females. This was possible as the matrilineal culture of the Bunts allowed women to take family titles and enjoy ownership of land. An inscription from 1673 C.E states that one Sankara Devi Ballalthi possessed ownership of a land called Kambala gadde in Sullia. Some women bearing the title are known to have established ancient temples as well. Ammu Devi Ballalthi was associated with establishing the Dharmasthala Temple and the Ballalthi of Moodubelle is said to have established the Mahalingeshwara temple in Belle, Udupi
