Compton n : United States physicist noted for research on x-rays and gamma rays and nuclear energy; his observation that X-rays behave like miniature bowling balls in their interactions with electrons provided evidence for the quantal nature of light (1892-1962) [syn: Arthur Compton, Arthur Holly Compton]

English

Proper noun

1. Any of several placenames in England from the Old English words for valley and habitation
2. An English habitational surname from the placenames

Compton may refer to:

Places

Canada

• Compton County, Quebec
• Compton (provincial electoral district), a former Quebec provincial electoral district now part of Mégantic-Compton
• Compton (electoral district), a former Quebec federal electoral district

England

Compton is a common place name in chalk and limestone areas particularly in southern England, probably derived from Combe (valley).

• Cassey Compton, Gloucestershire
• Compton, West Riding of Yorkshire
• Compton, Derbyshire
• Compton, South Staffordshire
• Compton, Wolverhampton, West Midlands
• Compton, Wiltshire
• Compton, Test Valley, Hampshire
• Compton, Winchester, Hampshire
  • Compton End, Hampshire
• Compton, Berkshire
• Compton, West Sussex
• Compton, Guildford, Surrey
• Compton, Plymouth, Devon
• Compton, South Hams, Devon
• Compton Abbas, Dorset
• Compton Abdale, Gloucestershire
• Compton Bassett, Wiltshire
• Compton Beauchamp, Berkshire (now Oxfordshire)
• Compton Bishop, Somerset
• Compton Chamberlain, Wiltshire
• Compton Common, Somerset
• Compton Dando, Somerset
• Compton Dundon, Somerset
• Compton Durville, Somerset
• Compton Green, Gloucestershire
• Compton Greenfield, Gloucestershire
• Compton Martin, Somerset
• Compton Pauncefoot, Somerset
• Compton Valence, Dorset
• Nether Compton, Dorset
• Over Compton, Dorset
• West Compton, Dorset

United States

• Compton, California
• West Compton, California
• Compton, Illinois
• Little Compton, Rhode Island

People with the surname Compton

Others

• Compton (crater), a crater on the Moon
• Compton scattering, an effect observed when photons interact with electrons
• Compton Gamma-Ray Observatory, an orbital observatory
• Compton's Encyclopedia
• Compton Effect, an album from Rapper Greydon Square
• Steven Compton, an OG rockballer.