It's rare that folks can trace their ancestry back very far. My Mom found it an interesting hobby, as did (I believe) the author of the book I mentioned above. They did it because they could, and they wanted to. My Mom got started on it and felt it was a challenge to see how far she could go with it. She loved the stories she discovered about ancestors more interesting than compiling data, and built on the genealogy already compiled by those who did it only to get into snooty organizations.

Folks who were adopted may not have any idea where even their birth parents came from. Others hit a dead end after a couple of generations. I think genealogy can be interesting, but I don't think it matters a hoot to who a person truly is.

It's like trying to find the roots of a song. It's interesting to see where it came from and how it evolved, but you'll still love the song you know, and you'll sing it no matter what.