In a sweeping claim guaranteed to rankle famed island genealogy expert Bill Lawson, a UK celebrity news website says if your surname is MacLeod, you're likely related to US President Donald Trump.

Tyla.com, part of the LADbible Group, not renowned for its background in family tree research, says MacLeod is one of the key surnames that could reveal a link to Donald Trump, whose mother, Mary Anne MacLeod, hailed from Tong in Lewis.

Tyla.com, which describes itself as an entertainment and lifestyle website, states MacLeods could be distantly related to the USA's Commander in Chief.

They allege: “Despite the Republican’s severe views on immigration in the States, the father-of-five himself comes from a family that hailed from Scotland.

"His mother, Mary Anne Macleod, moved from the UK to New York in 1930, but was born in the village of Tong on the Isle of Lewis, in the Outer Hebrides in 1912.

“In the States, she worked as a house servant until she met and married property developer Fred Trump.

“To this day, however, ‘MacLeod’ is still one of the most prevalent surnames in Scotland.

“There are also several different variations to the moniker, including McLeod, M’Leod, McCloud, Macleod, as per Stuff [a New Zealand website].”

They continue that Trump has never attempted to deny his UK-immigrant roots, and “actually owns a number of golf courses and resorts across his mother’s homeland.”

The piece by writer Rhianna Benson authoritatively concludes: “If you’re a Drumpf, or a MacLeod, you could have blood ties to the Oval Office occupier himself.”

The Trump surname article follows a recent article highlighting surnames linked to the UK Royal Family.

Read the full Tyla.com article.

In the event you are inspired to find a family connection to Donald John Trump, the best bet is to contact the Hebrides People Visitor Centre in Harris, which houses Bill Lawson’s 60-year archive of island family trees.

Bill Lawson is considered the foremost authority on Hebridean genealogy, and his work has helped thousands trace their roots back to the Outer Hebrides.