Khoury

Khoury ( or ), also transliterated as Khouri, is a surname that is found among Arab Christians in the Middle East, particularly in the countries of the Levant (Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Palestine). 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 Latin curatus "one responsible for the care (of souls)," ultimately from curatus, past participle of curare "to take care of".

Khoury is one of the most common surnames among Christian communities in the Levant. Historically, it was 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 various Eastern churches, such as the Greek Orthodox Church or the Maronite Church, allow 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 is uncommon as a given name.