The civil parish of Pilling, which includes the localities of Stake Pool, Scronkey and Eagland Hill, had a total resident population of 1,739 in 2001,[1] increasing to 2,020 at the 2011 Census.

[3] Eilert Ekwall suggests the name is Celtic, linking it with the Welsh place-name element "Pîl" (rendered as Pyl in Old English).

The name appears as Pylin in 1246 and, if the name is indeed Celtic in origin, the termination is almost certainly the same as the common Welsh diminutive suffix "-yn", giving the meaning of "small harbour or inlet".

[5] Some of the materials that went into the extension of the Garstang railway from Pilling to Knott End-on-Sea came from Richard Fleetwood's first charity school at Preesall.

[7] Pilling is an extensive mossland parish covering 3,387 hectares situated on the southern corner of Morecambe Bay.