Khouri

Khouri
Khoury (or ), also transliterated as Khouri, is a Levantine surname that is found among Christians in the Middle East. The term Khoury means "priest" in Levantine Arabic. It derives from the Latin word curia, or may come from the French curé meaning parish Priest, from Medieval Latin curatus "one responsible for the care (of souls)," from Latin curatus, past participle of curare "to take care of".
Although most popular amongst the population in Lebanon, the name can also be found within Christian communities in Israel, Syria, Palestine, and Jordan. It is often given as a last name to a new priest or minister, replacing the old one and to the children of the married priest and their descendants. The Maronite Church, which is in full communion with the Roman Catholic Church, allows married men to become priests.
It is common for a family to keep the Khoury surname for generations past the life of the priest. Catholic and Orthodox clergy (particularly Maronite Catholic, Greek Orthodox, Melkite Catholic and Syriac Orthodox) are the largest numbers of people with this name; all four rites having a married priesthood according to Catholic and Orthodox norms. Khoury/Khouri is uncommon as a given name. In the Eastern Christian Churches, "Khoury" or "El-Khoury" means Corepiscopos, which is an honorary rank above a priest.
Due to the Lebanese diaspora, which started in the late 19th century, the name has acquired different variants in different countries and is also uncommonly spelled as El Khouri, El Khoury, Elcure, Elkhori, Elkouri, Kouri, Couri, Koury, Coury, Kourie, Koory, Koorey, Kuri, Khuri, Khury, Kury, Xouri, Curi, Cury, Coorey, Courey, Korey, Kory, Corey, Chory, Correy and in Latin America as Xuri, Kure, Cure, Correa, Juri, Jury, Cura, Jure, Eljure, Aljure and Alcuri.
People
A−H
Adam Kury, bassist for American rock band Candlebox
Albert Eli Coury, known as Al Coury (1934–2013), Lebanese American record company executive
Amin Khoury, founder of B/E Aerospace
Ana Khouri (born 1981), Brazilian jewelry designer and sculptor
Augusto Cury, Lebanese Brazilian neuroscientist
Bechara El Khoury, first post-independence President of Lebanon
Callie Khouri, Lebanese American Academy Award winner for writing the film Thelma & Louise
Carlos Cure, Lebanese Colombian businessman
Clara Khoury, Israeli actress
Donald Kouri, American physicist
Elias James Corey, Lebanese American organic chemist
Elias Khoury, Lebanese novelist, journalist, and academic
Elias Khoury (lawyer), Israeli lawyer
Elissar Zakaria Khoury, known as Elissa (Lebanese singer), Lebanese singer
Emile Kuri, Lebanese Mexican film director
Fadlo R. Khuri, Lebanese American medical doctor and university administrator
Faris al-Khoury, Syrian politician, former Prime Minister of Syria
Fred Coury, drummer for American glam metal band Cinderella
Fuad Khuri, Lebanese anthropologist
George Khoury, multiple people
Giselle Khoury, Lebanese journalist
Gui Khury, Brazilian skateboarder
Herbert Khaury, known as Tiny Tim (musician) (1932–1996), American musician
Huguette Khoury, known as Huguette Caland, French Lebanese painter
Humberto Curi, an Argentine-born Olympic boxer who competed in the middleweight class in the 1928 Summer Olympics in Amsterdam
I–Z
Joanne Chory, Lebanese American molecular biologist and geneticist
Joelle Khoury, Lebanese pianist, jazz and contemporary classical music composer
Jowy Khoury, Lebanese actress
Joyce El-Khoury, Lebanese-Canadian operatic soprano
Karyn Khoury, American award-winning perfumer
Katheryn Curi, American racing cyclist
Ken Khouri, Lebanese Jamaican record company owner
Makram Khoury, Israeli actor
Mario El-Khoury, Lebanese-Swiss engineer and business executive
Marwan Khoury, Lebanese singer, writer and composer
Maurice J Koury, textile businessman and philanthropist
Michael Khouri, American politician
Muin J. Khoury, American geneticist and epidemiologist
Pablo Kuri-Morales, Lebanese Mexican world health expert in pandemics
Paul Khoury, Australian television personality and leading TV Host in the poker arena
Philip S. Khoury, American historian
Philip Khuri Hitti, Historian and professor at Harvard University
Pilar Khoury (born 1994), Lebanese footballer
Rami George Khouri, Palestinian-Jordanian American journalist and editor
Raymond Khoury, Lebanese screenwriter and novelist
Said Khoury, Palestinian-Lebanese businessman
Sari Ibrahim Khoury, Palestinian abstract visual artist
Sylvia Khoury, American writer and playwright
Theodore Khoury, Lebanese-born German Catholic theologian
Yusuf Al-Khuri, ancient translator and mathematician
Walter Hugo Khouri, Brazilian film director and producer
Zahi Khouri, Palestinian-American businessman
References
Arabic-language surnames