Earl of Wilmington was a title in the Peerage of Great Britain

Peerage of Great Britain

The Peerage of Great Britain comprises all extant peerages created in the Kingdom of Great Britain after the Act of Union 1707 but before the Act of Union 1800...

. It was created in 1730 for the politician Spencer Compton, 1st Baron Wilmington

Spencer Compton, 1st Earl of Wilmington

Spencer Compton, 1st Earl of Wilmington KG, KB, PC was a British Whig statesman who served continuously in government from 1715 until his death. He served as the nominal head of government from 1742 until his death in 1743, but was merely a figurehead for the true leader of the government, Lord...

, who later served as Prime Minister of Great Britain

Prime Minister of the United Kingdom

The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...

 from 1742 to 1743, during the reign of George II

George II of Great Britain

George II was King of Great Britain and Ireland, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Archtreasurer and Prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire from 11 June 1727 until his death.George was the last British monarch born outside Great Britain. He was born and brought up in Northern Germany...

. He had already been created Baron Wilmington in 1728 and was made Viscount Pevensey at the same time as he was given the earldom. Compton was the third son of James Compton, 3rd Earl of Northampton

James Compton, 3rd Earl of Northampton

James Compton, 3rd Earl of Northampton , known as Lord Compton from 1630 to 1643, was an English peer, soldier and politician....

. The titles became extinct on his death in 1743, as he left no male heirs.

The Wilmington title was revived in 1812 when his great-great-nephew Charles Compton, 9th Earl of Northampton

Charles Compton, 1st Marquess of Northampton

Charles Compton, 1st Marquess of Northampton , known as Lord Compton from 1763 to 1796 and as the 9th Earl of Northampton from 1796 to 1812, was a British peer and politician....

, was made Baron Wilmington, Earl Compton and Marquess of Northampton.

The city of Wilmington, Delaware, USA

Wilmington, Delaware

Wilmington is the largest city in the state of Delaware, United States, and is located at the confluence of the Christina River and Brandywine Creek, near where the Christina flows into the Delaware River. It is the county seat of New Castle County and one of the major cities in the Delaware Valley...

, was named by Proprietor Thomas Penn

Thomas Penn

Thomas Penn was a son of William Penn, founder of the Province of Pennsylvania, the English North American colony that became the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. Thomas Penn was born in Bristol, England after his father returned there in 1701 because of financial difficulties...

for his friend Spencer Compton, Earl of Wilmington.