Acton is a district in the London Borough of Ealing in west London. It's 6.1 miles west of Charing Cross. At the 2011 census, Acton had a population of 62,480 - a 10-year increase of 8,791 individuals.
Acton means 'oak farm' or ''farm by oak trees', and derives from old English. It was initially an ancient village, and as London expanded it was absorbed into the city. Since 1965, Acton has been part of the east of Ealing, but some parts of East Acton are in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham and a small portion of South Acton is within the London Borough of Hounslow. Acton is one of the locations with the most stations bearing their name anywhere within the United kingdom, with seven stations including its name.
Central Acton is referred to as the hub of commerce and retail on the former major road between London and Oxford, called the Uxbridge Road. The main road contains lots of inns, which go back to the late Tudor period as stopping places for travellers. Now, the A40 dual carriageway is the major route from London to Oxford, and it bypasses central Acton. It still passes through East Acton and North Acton.
Acton houses the biggest housing estate in West London, named the South Acton estate, with around 2,000 houses and 5,800 residents. The region is presently in phase two of a significant 15-year phased regeneration which consists of virtually complete demolition of the current residential units along with the construction of new and more residences. This is likely to raise its population further.