Thompson

Thompson is a surname of English and Scottish origin, derived from the given name Thomas, with the -son suffix indicating “son of Thom/Thomas.” It is common in English-speaking countries and has been borne by many notable people across various fields.

Notable individuals with the surname include Emma Thompson, an English actress and writer; Tristan Thompson, a Canadian-American professional basketball player; and John T. Thompson, the American inventor of the Thompson submachine gun.

There are places named Thompson in Canada and the United States, including Thompson, Manitoba, a city on the Hayes River, and Thompson, Connecticut. The Thompson River is a major tributary of the Fraser River in British Columbia, Canada.

The name is also associated with weapons and technology. The Thompson submachine gun, also known as the Tommy Gun, was developed by John T. Thompson in the early 20th century. In statistics and computer science, Thompson sampling is a Bayesian method used to balance exploration and exploitation in decision-making problems such as multi-armed bandits.