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 individuals.
Acton means 'oak farm' or ''farm by oak trees', and comes 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 inside 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 United kingdom, with seven stations including its name.
Central Acton is referred to as the hub of commerce and retail on the former main road between London and Oxford, referred to as the Uxbridge Road. The main road consists of a great deal of inns, which go as far back to the late Tudor period as stopping places for travellers. Currently, the A40 dual carriageway is the primary 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 around 2,000 houses and 5,800 residents. The area is at present in phase 2 of a major 15-year phased regeneration which contains nearly complete demolition of the current residential units along with the building of new and more residences. This is likely to enhance its population additionally.