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 ten year increase of 8,791 inhabitants.
Acton means 'oak farm' or ''farm by oak trees', and originates 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 parts of East Acton are inside the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham and a small part of South Acton is in the London Borough of Hounslow. Acton is one of the places with the most stations bearing their name anywhere in the country, with seven stations including its name.
Central Acton is generally known as the hub of commerce and retail on the former principal road between London and Oxford, called the Uxbridge Road. The main road contains a lot of inns, which date 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 biggest housing estate in West London, named the South Acton estate, with around 2,000 houses and 5,800 residents. The region is currently in phase 2 of a significant 15-year phased regeneration which includes almost complete demolition of the existing residential units plus the construction of new and more residences. This is likely to raise its population additionally.