Explore the Family Name Compton
The meaning of Compton
English: habitational name from any of numerous places throughout England (but especially in the southwest) named Compton, from Old English cumb ‘short, straight valley’ + tūn ‘enclosure, settlement’.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Compton in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname "Compton" has slightly decreased from 2000 to 2010. In 2000, it was ranked 910 in terms of popularity and had a count of 34,788 people bearing the name. By 2010, however, its rank fell to 971, indicating a decrease in popularity by 6.7%. Despite this drop in ranking, the actual number of people with the surname "Compton" increased to 35,830, a growth of 3%. This increase, however, did not keep pace with overall population growth, resulting in a decline in the proportion per 100k individuals from 12.9 in 2000 to 12.15 in 2010, a decrease of 5.81%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #910 | #971 | -6.7% |
| Count | 34,788 | 35,830 | 3% |
| Proportion per 100k | 12.9 | 12.15 | -5.81% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Compton
The ethnic identity associated with the surname "Compton" saw several changes between 2000 and 2010 according to the Decennial U.S. Census. The largest portion of individuals with the Compton surname identified as White, though that percentage dropped slightly from 88.96% in 2000 to 87.26% in 2010. During the same period, there were increases in the percentages of those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander (from 0.34% to 0.47%), those specifying two or more races (from 1.22% to 1.72%) and those identifying as Hispanic (from 1.51% to 2.04%). The Black population with this surname also saw an increase, from 7.22% in 2000 to 7.81% in 2010. There was a minor decrease among those identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native, from 0.74% in 2000 to 0.69% in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 88.96% | 87.26% | -1.91% |
| Black | 7.22% | 7.81% | 8.17% |
| Hispanic | 1.51% | 2.04% | 35.1% |
| Two or More Races | 1.22% | 1.72% | 40.98% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.74% | 0.69% | -6.76% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.34% | 0.47% | 38.24% |
Compton ancestry composition
23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Compton is British & Irish, which comprises 55.5% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (24.8%) and Scandinavian (3.6%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Italian, Spanish & Portuguese, Nigerian, and Indigenous American.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 55.5% |
| French & German | 24.8% |
| Scandinavian | 3.6% |
| Other | 16.1% |
Possible origins of the surname Compton
Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.
Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Compton have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 90.30% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 90.30% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 90.00% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 90.00% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 89.90% |
What Compton haplogroups can tell you
Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.
The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Compton is R-CTS241, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-CTS241 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include I-S1954 and R-P311, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Farris, Hutchinson, Shaw, Cobb, Richards, Oliver, Hutchison, Lloyd, Cross, Phillips.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Compton surname are: H1, T2b, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343Your maternal lineage may be linked to Marie Antoinette
Because it is so dominant in the general European population, haplogroup H also appears quite frequently in the continent's royal houses. Marie Antoinette, an Austrian Hapsburg who married into the French royal family, inherited the haplogroup from her maternal ancestors. So did Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whose recorded genealogy traces his female line to Bavaria. Scientists also discovered that famed 16th century astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus traced his maternal lineages to haplogroup H.
What do people with the surname Compton have in common?
Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.
Preferences
Chocolate Ice Cream
Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.
"Compton" Surname 45.8%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Misophonia
When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.
"Compton" Surname 25.5%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Compton" Surname 22.3%
23andMe Users 21.1%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Compton" Surname 17.0%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Compton?
The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.
Disease variant frequency by ancestry
Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Compton are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition