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Compton Family History

Compton Surname Meaning

English: habitational name from any of numerous places throughout England (but especially in the southwest) named Compton.

It is derived from Old English cumb ‘short straight valley’ + tūn ‘enclosure settlement’.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: 

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Compton family from?

You can see how Compton families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Compton family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Compton families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 589 Compton families living in London. This was about 20% of all the recorded Compton's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Compton families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Compton surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Compton ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Compton. 9% of Compton men worked as a General Labourer and 67% of Compton women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Compton were Farm Labourer and Private Means.

View Census Data for Compton | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • General Labourer
    9%
  • Builders Labourer
    5%
  • Farm Carter
    4%
  • Farm Labourer
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    67%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Housewife
    3%
  • Private Means
    2%

What Compton family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 198,000 census records available for the last name Compton. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Compton census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Compton

Passenger Lists

There are 14,000 immigration records available for the last name Compton. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Compton immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 46,000 military records available for the last name Compton. For the veterans among your Compton ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Compton military records

You've only scratched the surface of Compton family history

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What is the average Compton lifespan?

Between 1943 and 2004, in the United States, Compton life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1947, and highest in 1995. The average life expectancy for Compton in 1943 was 44, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Compton

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Compton ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Compton family tree

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