Acton is a district inside 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 people.
Acton means 'oak farm' or ''farm by oak trees', and originates from old English. It was originally an ancient village, and as London expanded it was absorbed in to 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 section of South Acton is inside the London Borough of Hounslow. Acton is one of the locations with the most stations bearing their name anywhere within the UK, with seven stations including its name.
Central Acton is called the hub of commerce and retail on the former main road between London and Oxford, called the Uxbridge Road. The main road contains lots of inns, which date back to the late Tudor period as stopping places for travellers. Currently, the A40 dual carriageway is the main route from London to Oxford, and it bypasses central Acton. It still passes through East Acton and North Acton.
Acton houses the largest housing estate in West London, named the South Acton estate, with around 2,000 houses and 5,800 residents. The area is currently in phase two of a major 15-year phased regeneration which contains nearly total demolition of the existing residential units as well as the construction of new and much more residences. This is most likely to raise its population even more.