A local board of health was formed for the southern part of the parish of Ealing, Middlesex, in 1863.

The borough was greatly enlarged in 1926 when it absorbed the urban districts of Greenford (including the parishes of Perivale and West Twyford) and Hanwell.

Granted on 22 February 1902, the Municipal Borough's coat of arms (not to be confused with the modern borough's coat of arms) was: Per chevron gules and argent, in dexter chief two swords in saltire and in sinister chief three seaxes (Saxon swords) fessewise in pale all proper, with pommels and hilts or, and in base an oak tree eradicated (uprooted) also proper.

The crossed swords are the symbol of Saint Paul and taken from the arms of the See of London, to which the manor historically belonged.

The seaxes are from the arms of the county of Middlesex, and the tree was a symbol that Ealing is growing and flourishing.