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 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 sections of East Acton are within the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham and a small portion of South Acton is inside the London Borough of Hounslow. Acton is one of the places with the most stations bearing their name anywhere within the country, with seven stations including its name.
Central Acton is generally known as the hub of commerce and retail on the former principal road between London and Oxford, called the Uxbridge Road. The main road consists of a lot of inns, which go back to the late Tudor period as stopping places for travellers. Nowadays, the A40 dual carriageway is the principal route from London to Oxford, and it bypasses central Acton. It still passes via East Acton and North Acton.
Acton is home to the largest housing estate in West London, named the South Acton estate, with about 2,000 homes and 5,800 residents. The area is presently in phase two of a major 15-year phased regeneration which contains virtually total demolition of the existing residential units and also the construction of new and more residences. This is most likely to enhance its population even more.