Here is the thread where it was mentioned.
http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=35542
IN MY OPINION....the faces and body of the Maltese and Yorkies are very similar. Many people when choosing a small pretty breed often pick one or the other.....
My first choice when looking for a small dog was a Maltese...till I fell IN LOVE with a co-workers yorkie.... and then it was LIGHTS OUT FOR ME......I was in LOVE and have been totally infatuated with yorkies since.
so I'd have to say that they do seem related in the distant past...but then again I sure could be WAY off base. I know the Maltese has a long rich history.