I have done research for several years, and am fortunate that my father's family was in western Pennsylvania, having moved there from 'the colonies' in the mid 1700s.(New Jersey, Delaware, Connecticut,etc..) There were pretty good records kept of the early colonists, so I can follow links back to England, Wales and in a few cases to France and The Netherlands. I actually have good links to 2 governors of the Massachusetts Bay Colony..(Simon Bradstreet and Thomas Dudley)... and then to various English lords & ladies. It does seem I am descended mostly from 4th sons and 5th daughters, so not exactly in line for peerages.... but some links go way back to the 1300s and before.
My mother's family (Martin) was in early Virginia, but the records are not nearly as precise as in Penn. Still, the Martins of Albemarle county Virginia go way back to Martin of Tours in about 1066 who 'may' have been with William. It is fuzzy exactly which Martin I am descended from, since it seems half of them were named Abraham or Abram or Robert or Thomas and married Sarahs and Elizabeths and Marys.
Still, it is fascinating to look up places in the 'old country' where some of my ancestors lived. Every month or so someone updates some link.