Acton is a district inside the London Borough of Ealing in west London. It's 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 individuals.
Acton means 'oak farm' or ''farm by oak trees', and derives from old English. It was originally 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 sections of East Acton are within the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham and a small portion of South Acton is in the London Borough of Hounslow. Acton is one of the areas with the most stations bearing their name anywhere in the United kingdom, with seven stations including its name.
Central Acton is called the hub of commerce and retail on the former major road between London and Oxford, called the Uxbridge Road. The main road consists of a lot of inns, which go as far 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 is home to the biggest housing estate in West London, named the South Acton estate, with roughly 2,000 homes and 5,800 residents. The area is at present in phase two of a significant 15-year phased regeneration which consists of virtually complete demolition of the current residential units as well as the construction of new and more residences. This is most likely to increase its population even further.