Acton is a district within 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 derives 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 in 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 within the United kingdom, 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, known as the Uxbridge Road. The main road consists of a lot 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 through East Acton and North Acton.
Acton boasts the largest housing estate in West London, named the South Acton estate, with around 2,000 homes and 5,800 residents. The location is currently in phase 2 of a significant 15-year phased regeneration which includes almost total demolition of the current residential units plus the construction of brand new and more residences. This is likely to increase its population even more.