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Origin of the Surname el-khoury
The surname el-khoury presents a geographical distribution that reveals important clues about its origin and expansion. According to current data, its presence is notable in Middle Eastern countries, especially in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Egypt, where incidences range between 9 and 517 records. In addition, a significant presence is observed in American countries, such as Canada, the United States and Brazil, as well as in various European nations, including France, the United Kingdom, Germany and Sweden. The predominant concentration in Arab countries and in diaspora communities in the West suggests that the surname has roots in the Levant region or in the Arab world in general.
The high incidence in Saudi Arabia, with 517 records, together with its presence in other Gulf countries, indicates that the surname probably originated in an Arab community in that region. The dispersion towards the West, especially in countries with Arab migrant communities, such as Canada, the United States and Brazil, can be explained by migration processes that occurred in the 19th and 20th centuries. The distribution also suggests that the surname could be associated with a social class or a specific community, such as religious people, merchants or families with certain prominence in the region.
Etymology and Meaning of el-khoury
From a linguistic perspective, el-khoury seems to derive from Arabic, given its prefix el-, which in Arabic means "the" and is common in surnames and names of Arabic origin, and the root khoury. The structure of the surname suggests that it could be a patronymic or a toponymic, depending on its specific meaning in Arabic.
The term khoury in Arabic may be related to the root kh-r-y, which in some contexts can mean "cleric" or "priest", especially in Arab Christian communities, where khourey or khourey is associated with Christian priests or religious of the Syriac or Maronite rite. In this sense, the surname could have an origin in a family of religious or in a Christian community in the Arab world, particularly in the Levant.
Another hypothesis is that khoury is a term that denotes a profession or a title, such as "the priest" or "the religious", which later became a surname. The presence of surnames with the prefix el- and roots related to religious positions is common in Christian Arab communities, where these surnames reflect profession or social status.
As for its classification, el-khoury could be considered a descriptive or patronymic surname, depending on whether it refers to a personal characteristic, a religious position, or an ancestor with that name. The structure of the surname, with the defined prefix, is typical in Arabic surnames that indicate belonging or relationship with a specific figure or profession.
History and Expansion of the Surname
The probable origin of el-khoury lies in the Arab Christian communities of the Levant, where surnames related to religious positions, such as priests or monks, were common. The presence in countries such as Lebanon, Syria and Palestine, although specific data is not available in the JSON, would be consistent with the hypothesis of an origin in these communities. The diaspora of these communities, motivated by conflicts, persecutions or the search for better conditions, would have led to the dispersion of the surname to other Arab countries and, subsequently, to the West.
During the 19th and 20th centuries, massive migrations from the Levant to Europe, America and Oceania facilitated the spread of the surname. The presence in countries such as Canada, with 297 records, and in the United States, with 142, may be related to migrants of Arab origin who took their identity and surnames with them. The presence in European countries, such as France, the United Kingdom, Germany and Sweden, can also be explained by labor migrations, studies or political exiles.
The distribution pattern suggests that el-khoury is not only a surname of religious origin, but may also have been adopted by families who held religious or administrative positions in their communities. The expansion towards America and Europe reflects the traditional migratory routes of the Arab communities, which in many cases maintained their cultural and linguistic identity, transmitting their surnames to the following generations in their countries of residence.
Variants of the Surname el-khoury
Depending on geographical dispersion andlinguistic adaptations, el-khoury may present spelling and phonetic variants. In Spanish-speaking countries, such as Mexico or Argentina, it is possible to find forms such as Koury or Khoury, eliminating the article el- for reasons of phonetic and orthographic adaptation. In French-speaking countries, such as France, it can appear as Khoury or Choury, maintaining the root but adapting the spelling to the rules of the language.
Likewise, in English-speaking communities, the surname may appear without the definite article, simply as Khoury. The common root in all these cases is khoury, which in Arabic maintains a meaning linked to religious positions or the Arab Christian community. The presence of these variants reflects the adaptation of the surname to different languages and cultural contexts.
In conclusion, el-khoury is a surname that probably has roots in the Arab Christian communities of the Levant, associated with religious positions or a community identity. Its current distribution, marked by a high incidence in the Middle East and in migrant communities in the West, confirms its origin in that region and its expansion through historical migratory processes.
