NameCensus.

UK surname

Compston

An English localised surname likely derived from a place name in England.

In the 1881 census there were 132 people recorded with the Compston surname, ranking it #16,744 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 169, ranked #21,884, down from #16,744 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Sedgley, Lancaster Borough and Govan Combination. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Greenock Town Centre and East Central, Greenock East and Gourock Upper and West Central and Upper Larkfield.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Compston is 188 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 28.0%.

1881 census count

132

Ranked #16,744

Modern count

169

2016, ranked #21,884

Peak year

1998

188 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Compston had 132 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #16,744 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 169 in 2016, ranked #21,884.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 186 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities.

Compston surname distribution map

The map shows where the Compston surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Compston surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Compston over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 68 #21,302
1861 historical 95 #21,768
1881 historical 132 #16,744
1891 historical 162 #17,390
1901 historical 186 #15,839
1911 historical 172 #16,408
1997 modern 174 #19,231
1998 modern 188 #18,796
1999 modern 175 #19,798
2000 modern 177 #19,634
2001 modern 158 #20,788
2002 modern 166 #20,532
2003 modern 159 #20,881
2004 modern 157 #21,168
2005 modern 145 #22,253
2006 modern 158 #21,229
2007 modern 155 #21,726
2008 modern 158 #21,690
2009 modern 164 #21,628
2010 modern 166 #21,941
2011 modern 156 #22,690
2012 modern 165 #21,782
2013 modern 161 #22,521
2014 modern 166 #22,277
2015 modern 167 #22,066
2016 modern 169 #21,884

Geography

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Where Compstons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Sedgley, Lancaster Borough, Govan Combination, Manchester and Liverpool. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Greenock Town Centre and East Central, Greenock East, Gourock Upper and West Central and Upper Larkfield, Lower Bow and Larkfield, Fancy Farm, Mallard Bowl and Cherwell. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Sedgley Staffordshire
2 Lancaster Borough Lancashire
3 Govan Combination Lanark
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Liverpool Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Greenock Town Centre and East Central Inverclyde
2 Greenock East Inverclyde
3 Gourock Upper and West Central and Upper Larkfield Inverclyde
4 Lower Bow and Larkfield, Fancy Farm, Mallard Bowl Inverclyde
5 Cherwell 010 Cherwell

Forenames

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First names often paired with Compston

These lists show first names that appear often with the Compston surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Compston

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Compston, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Legacy Communities

Group

Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities

Nationally, the Compston surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities, within Legacy Communities. This does not mean every Compston household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Households in these areas often include divorced or separated parents and commonly include children and young adults. The age structure is heavily skewed towards the most advanced age groups. Individuals identifying as members of ethnic minorities are not present in large numbers. Flats predominate, with some terraced, semi-detached, and detached units. Multiple car ownership is low, and housing is predominantly in the private and social rented sectors. Employment is less skewed towards traditional routine industrial occupations. Levels of educational attainment are generally low. The Group occurs principally in the Central Lowlands of Scotland and other Scottish towns.

Wider pattern

These neighbourhoods characteristically comprise pockets of flats that are scattered across the UK, particularly in towns that retain or have legacies of heavy industry or are in more remote seaside locations. Employed residents of these neighbourhoods work mainly in low-skilled occupations. Residents typically have limited educational qualifications. Unemployment is above average. Some residents live in overcrowded housing within the social rented sector and experience long-term disability. All adult age groups are represented, although there is an overall age bias towards elderly people in general and the very old in particular. Individuals identifying as belonging to ethnic minorities or Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups are uncommon.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Compston is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Compston is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Compston falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Compston is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Compston, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Compston

The surname Compston is believed to have originated in England, specifically in the counties of Lancashire and Yorkshire. It is thought to have derived from a place name, possibly a town or village called Compston or a variation thereof. Records indicate that the name first appeared in the 13th century.

One of the earliest known references to the name can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Lancashire from 1332, which mentions a Richard de Compeston. This suggests that the name may have originated from a place called Compeston or a similar spelling.

In the 15th century, the surname appeared in various forms, such as Compton, Compston, and Comstun. These variations likely resulted from differences in pronunciation and spelling conventions of the time.

The Compston surname has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One such person was Sir William Compston (1562-1634), a prominent English lawyer and judge who served as Chief Baron of the Exchequer during the reign of King James I.

Another notable figure was John Compston (1633-1701), an English Puritan minister and author who wrote several religious works, including "A Treatise on Repentance" and "The Christian's Duty in Afflictions."

In the 18th century, Thomas Compston (1740-1810) was a renowned English clockmaker and inventor. He is credited with developing a novel type of clock movement known as the "grass-hopper escapement."

During the 19th century, William Compston (1820-1892) was a noted English architect who designed several churches and public buildings in Lancashire and Yorkshire.

Another individual with the Compston surname was Mary Compston (1865-1948), an English suffragette and activist who campaigned for women's rights and voting reform in the early 20th century.

While the Compston surname may have originated from a specific place name, it has since spread across various regions of England and beyond, with many individuals bearing this name making significant contributions in various fields throughout history.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Compston families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Compston surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Lancashire leads with 61 Compstons recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.99x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 61 3.99x
Westmorland 38 134.32x
Lanarkshire 10 2.40x
Staffordshire 9 2.07x
Somerset 5 2.41x
Yorkshire 5 0.39x
Ayrshire 2 2.08x
Middlesex 2 0.16x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Kendal in Westmorland leads with 22 Compstons recorded in 1881 and an index of 424.71x.

Place Total Index
Kendal 22 424.71x
Blackburn 17 41.82x
Failsworth 11 314.29x
Govan 10 9.71x
Higher Booths 10 363.64x
Sedgley 9 55.76x
Kirkland 8 1333.33x
Nether Graveship 8 2962.96x
Liverpool 6 6.47x
Fivehead 5 2777.78x
Lancaster 5 55.01x
Lower Booths 5 182.48x
Wortley In Bramley 5 49.51x
Garston 2 44.35x
Gorton 2 13.93x
Kensington London 2 2.79x
Kilmarnock 2 17.44x
Little Bolton 2 10.18x
Worsley 1 10.62x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Compston surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Elizabeth 9
Mary 6
Jane 4
Sarah 4
Alice 3
Catherine 3
Isabella 3
Ann 2
Florence 2
Margaret 2
Margt. 2
Ada 1
Annie 1
Betty 1
Caroline 1
Charlotte 1
Clara 1
Eliza 1
Elizth. 1
Ellen 1
Emily 1
Emma 1
Fanny 1
Hannah 1
Harriet 1
Helena 1
J.Louisa 1
Lizzie 1
Maria 1
Marian 1
Marie 1
Maud 1
Rachel 1
Roxana 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Compston surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
John 12
Samuel 6
Robert 5
Richard 4
William 4
Charles 2
Frank 2
James 2
Robt. 2
Thos. 2
Albert 1
Arthur 1
Ed.Leach 1
Edward 1
Elizabeth 1
Francis 1
George 1
Henry 1
Herbert 1
Jas. 1
Joseph 1
Royden 1
Sidney 1
Thomas 1
Willm. 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Compston surname: questions and answers

How common was the Compston surname in 1881?

In 1881, 132 people were recorded with the Compston surname. That placed it at #16,744 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Compston surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 169 in 2016. That gives Compston a modern rank of #21,884.

What does the Compston surname mean?

An English localised surname likely derived from a place name in England.

What does the Compston map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Compston bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.