The title of Earl of Powis has been created several times in British history. The first was in 1674 in the Peerage of England. In 1687 the 1st Earl was raised to become Marquess of Powis, but both titles became extinct in 1748. The title was created again in 1748 in the Peerage of Great Britain, for the husband of the last holder's niece, but became extinct in 1801. It was created a final time in 1804 in the Peerage of the United Kingdom, for the brother-in-law of the last holder, and this creation is still extant.

The present Earl of Powis bears the subsidiary titles of Viscount Clive (1804), Baron Powis (1804) and Baron Herbert of Chirbury and Ludlow (1804) in the Peerage of the UK, Baron Clive of Walcot (1794) in the Peerage of Great Britain, and Baron Clive of Plassey (1762) in the Peerage of Ireland.

The family seat is Powis Castle, near Welshpool, Wales.

Barons Powis (1629)

• William Herbert, 1st Baron Powis (c. 1573-1656)
• Percy Herbert, 2nd Baron Powis (c. 1600-1667)
• William Herbert, 3rd Baron Powis (1626-1696) (became Marquess of Powis in 1687)

Marquesses of Powis (1687)

• William Herbert, 1st Marquess of Powis (1626-1696)
• William Herbert, 2nd Marquess of Powis (1665-1745)
• William Herbert, 3rd Marquess of Powis (1698-1748)

Earls of Powis, Second Creation (1748)

• Henry Arthur Herbert, 1st Earl of Powis (1703-1772)
• George Edward Henry Arthur Herbert, 2nd Earl of Powis (1755-1801)

Barons Clive of Plassey (1762)

• Robert Clive, 1st Baron Clive (1725-1774)
• Edward Clive, 2nd Baron Clive (1754-1839, became Earl of Powis in 1804)

Earls of Powis, Third Creation (1804)

• Edward Clive, 1st Earl of Powis (1754-1839)
• Edward Herbert, 2nd Earl of Powis (1785-1848)
• Edward James Herbert, 3rd Earl of Powis (1818-1891)
• George Charles Herbert, 4th Earl of Powis (1862-1952)
• Edward Robert Henry Herbert, 5th Earl of Powis (d. 1974)
• Christian Victor Charles Herbert, 6th Earl of Powis (d. 1988)
• George William Herbert, 7th Earl of Powis (d. 1993)
• John George Herbert, 8th Earl of Powis (b. 1952)