19th Century – Sir William James Herschel et al

Hershel was appointed as Magistrate and Collector, and in charge of the criminal courts, prisons, registration of deeds and payment of government pensions. Using his powers, instituted friction ridge skin recording as a widespread method of individualization. He continued his study of the permanence of friction ridge skin through his lifetime.

Henry Faulds was a medical missionary who opened a hospital in Tsukiji, Japan around 1873. He became interested in friction ridge skin after seeing ridge detail on pottery found on a Japanese beach. He conducted independent research into prints of both humans and monkeys. He submitted an article for publication to Nature and proposed using friction ridge individualization at crime scenes, for use as evidence.

While this was happening, Anthropometry (the study of body measurements for purposes of identification) was under development by Alphonse Bertillon. Fingerprints were added to anthropometric records.

All the while, other developments were going about in the US.