Rawdon was born in 1808, the eldest son of Francis Rawdon-Hastings, 2nd Earl of Moira (later 1st Marquess of Hastings) and his wife, Flora Mure-Campbell, 6th Countess of Loudoun.

[1] Inheriting his father's titles in 1826 (and later, his mother's in 1840), Lord Hastings was a Gentleman of the Bedchamber to King William IV from 1830 to 1831.

Paulyn was succeeded in turn by his younger brother Lord Henry Weysford Charles Plantagenet Rawdon-Hastings, later 4th Marquess of Hastings and 9th Earl of Loudoun.

[4] On 9 April 1845, fifteen months after her first husband's death, Barbara married Captain Hastings Reginald Henry (1808–1878), who in 1849 took the name of Yelverton by royal licence.

They settled at Efford House near Lymington and had one daughter, Barbara Yelverton (12 January 1849 – 1 October 1924), who married John Yarde-Buller, 2nd Baron Churston.