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1000 BCE
Use of Fingerprints
Throughout History, dating back to ancient times, Fingerprints are used as official signatures and are used on official documentation. -
Fingerprint Patterns Are Noted
Macello Malphigi, a professor at the University of Bologna, notes that there are some commonalities in the way fingerprints are structured -
Fingerprints Used by Herschel
Sir William Herschel uses fingerprinting to have Indian natives sign binding contracts instead of signatures, noting that it seems no two fingerprints are the same, supplementing his practice. -
Identification
Dr. Henry Faulds, seen as the "father of fingerprinting" uses a fingerprint left on a bottle to identify the person who held it. He later proposes a possible use in forensics. -
First Major Use
A murder is solved using fingerprints left behind at the scene. -
Becoming Popular
Sir Francis Galton publishes his first book on fingerprinting, noting major patterns and details used to identify fingerprints -
Will West Case
After a case of mistaken identity, fingerprinting gains popularity as a reliable form of identification, particularly in prisons. -
Military Use
The US military officially adopts fingerprinting as a primary form of identification. Police agencies soon follow. -
Fingerprints Are Accepted by US Courts
US courts accept use of fingerprints as identification, allowing their use in the murder trial of Thomas Jennings -
AFIS is Developed
The first major computer database of fingerprints is developed, which holds 700 million individual fingerprints in present day
