The older we get, the more important it is for us to understand where we come from, studies have found. In recent years, tracing family trees has become one of the most popular hobbies in the United States and further afield, and created an entertainment genre all its own. TV shows such as "Finding Your Roots" and "Who Do You Think You Are?" focus solely on celebrities, providing a double whammy of audience interest. Some of the stars discover their pilgrim roots or ancestors who played a part in historical events, while a few others hit the genealogical jackpot: They learned they were descended from European royalty.

Beyoncé, Brad Pitt, Hilary Duff, Richard Gere, and Hugh Grant are just a handful of big names who can lay claim to being a distant cousin of Queen Elizabeth II, but they are

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