Khouri

Khoury (Arabic: خوري, Greek: Χούρι or Ḫūrī), 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 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, , Kuri, Khuri, Khury, Kury, Xouri, Curi, Cury,, and in Latin America as Kure, Cure, , 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