Acton is a district in 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 individuals.
Acton means 'oak farm' or ''farm by oak trees', and derives 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 areas of East Acton are within the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham and a small section 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 United kingdom, with seven stations including its name.
Central Acton is generally known as the hub of commerce and retail on the former major road between London and Oxford, generally 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. Today, the A40 dual carriageway is the main route from London to Oxford, and it bypasses central Acton. It still passes through East Acton and North Acton.
Acton contains the biggest housing estate in West London, named the South Acton estate, with about 2,000 properties and 5,800 residents. The location is presently in phase two of a major 15-year phased regeneration which contains virtually full demolition of the current residential units plus the construction of new and much more residences. This is most likely to raise its population even further.
