Khoury (also transliterated as "Khouri" (Arabic: خوري, "Χούρι"(Greek) (Ḫūrī) is an Arabic surname that is unique to Christians in the Middle East. The term Khoury means "priest" in Arabic. It derives from the Latin word curia.
Although most popular amongst the population in Lebanon, where it is the 2nd most common surname, the name can also be found within Christian communities in Syria, Israel, 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. In the Maronite Church, even though in communion with the Roman Catholic Church, as well as in the Eastern Orthodox Churches, married men are allowed 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, Syrian Orthodox, and Melkite Catholic) 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. For Syrian Orthodox, "Khoury" or "Al-Khoury" means Corepiscopos, which is an honorary rank above a priest.
The name is also uncommonly spelled as Elcure, Elkhori, Kouri, Couri, Koury, Koory, Koorey, Kuri, Kury, Curi, Cury, Coorey, Courey, Korey, Corey, Chory, Correy and in Latin America as Kure, Cure, Juri, Jure, or Alcuri.