The Sursock family (also spelled Sursuq) is a Greek Orthodox Christian family from Lebanon, and used to be one of the most important families of Beirut. Having originated in Constantinople during the Byzantine Empire,[1] the family has lived in Beirut since 1712, when their forefather Jabbour Aoun (who later adopted the family name Sursock) left the village of Berbara. After the turn of the 19th century, they began to establish significant positions of power within the Ottoman Empire. The family, through lucrative business ventures, savvy political maneuvering, and strategic marriages, embarked on what Leila Fawaz called "the most spectacular social climb of the nineteenth century," and, at their peak, had built a close network of relations to the families of Egyptian, French, Irish, Russian, Italian and German aristocracies, alongside a manufacturing and distribution empire spanning the Mediterranean.[2][3][4]
- ^ Trombetta (Ph.D.), Lorenzo (2009-01-01). "The Private Archive of the Sursuqs, a Beirut Family of Christian Notables: An Early Investigation". Rivista Degli Studi Orientali.
- ^ "Ghosts of Lebanon's Past". Stambouline.com. Retrieved 2015-11-12.
- ^ Trombetta (2009), p. 224
- ^ "Sursock House". Sursock.