Acton is a district in the London Borough of Ealing in west London. It is 6.1 miles west of Charing Cross. In the 2011 census, Acton had a population of 62,480 - a 10 year increase of 8,791 inhabitants.
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 areas of East Acton are within the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham and a small part of South Acton is in the London Borough of Hounslow. Acton is one of the locations with the most stations bearing their name anywhere in the country, with seven stations including its name.
Central Acton is known as the hub of commerce and retail on the former principal road between London and Oxford, known as the Uxbridge Road. The main road contains a lot of inns, which go back to the late Tudor period as stopping places for travellers. These days, the A40 dual carriageway is the major route from London to Oxford, and it bypasses central Acton. It still passes via East Acton and North Acton.
Acton contains the biggest housing estate in West London, named the South Acton estate, with about 2,000 properties and 5,800 residents. The region is presently in phase two of a major 15-year phased regeneration which involves nearly full demolition of the existing residential units plus the construction of brand new and much more residences. This is likely to boost its population additionally.