Acton is a district in the London Borough of Ealing in west London. It is 6.1 miles west of Charing Cross. In 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 inside the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham and a small part of South Acton is within the London Borough of Hounslow. Acton is one of the locations with the most stations bearing their name anywhere within the country, with seven stations including its name.
Central Acton is generally known as the hub of commerce and retail on the former main road between London and Oxford, known as the Uxbridge Road. The main road consists of lots of inns, which go as far back to the late Tudor period as stopping places for travellers. These days, the A40 dual carriageway is the primary route from London to Oxford, and it bypasses central Acton. It still passes by way of East Acton and North Acton.
Acton is home to the largest housing estate in West London, named the South Acton estate, with approximately 2,000 homes and 5,800 residents. The location is at present in phase 2 of a major 15-year phased regeneration which contains nearly full demolition of the existing residential units as well as the building of brand new and more residences. This is likely to raise its population even more.