Acton is a district within the London Borough of Ealing in west London. It is 6.1 miles west of Charing Cross. At the 2011 census, Acton had a population of 62,480 - a ten year increase of 8,791 inhabitants.
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 parts of East Acton are within the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham and a small part 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 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, generally known as the Uxbridge Road. The main road contains lots of inns, which go as far back to the late Tudor period as stopping places for travellers. Today, the A40 dual carriageway is the primary route from London to Oxford, and it bypasses central Acton. It still passes by means of 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 at the moment in phase two of a significant 15-year phased regeneration which includes almost complete demolition of the current residential units as well as the construction of new and much more residences. This is likely to raise its population even more.