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 10 year increase of 8,791 people.
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 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 locations with the most stations bearing their name anywhere in the UK, with seven stations including its name.
Central Acton is known as the hub of commerce and retail on the former principal road between London and Oxford, generally known as the Uxbridge Road. The main road contains a lot of inns, which go as far back to the late Tudor period as stopping places for travellers. Nowadays, 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 properties and 5,800 residents. The region is at the moment in phase 2 of a significant 15-year phased regeneration which contains virtually complete 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 further.