
The Henry Classification System
Henry Classification System
The Henry Classification System is a long-standing method by which fingerprints are sorted by physiological characteristics for one-to-many searching.
What are the divisions of the Henry Fingerprint Classification system?
In general, the Henry fingerprint classification system has 7 major divisions. These are primary, major, secondary, subsecondary, second sub-secondary, final, and key classification. More precisely, they are called to be the FBI modified Henry fingerprint classification system.
What is an example of Henry primary classification?
Example for Henry Primary Classification Let’s say, whorls appear on a 10-digit card at the position of finger numbered 1, 3, 4, 7, 8, and 9. As per the specific value of whorls are: Adding all the even fingers to give numerator value=> 0 + 8 + 0 + 2 + 0 = 10
What was the first method of classification for fingerprints?
It was accepted that everyone possessed a uniquely identifiable and unchanging fingerprint. This new system The Henry Classification system, named after Edward Henry who developed and first implemented the system in 1897 in India, was the first method of classification for fingerprint identification based on physiological characteristics.
Should the Henry Classification system be used for individualization?
This system should never be used for individualization. The Henry Classification System assigns each finger a number according to the order in which it is located in the hand, beginning with the right thumb as number 1 and ending with the left pinky as number 10.

Which primary pattern is used for the Henry system?
The Henry Fingerprint Classification System In the Henry system, fingers that have a whorl pattern are used to define a primary grouping for the set of fingerprints. A number is assigned to those fingers that have a whorl pattern.
Which fingerprint pattern is used in the Henry Classification System?
In 1892, Sir Francis Galton published his highly influential book, Finger Prints in which he described his classification system that include three main fingerprint patterns - loops, whorls and arches. At the time, the alternative to fingerprints was Bertillonage, also known as Anthropometry.
What fingerprint classification is the most common?
loops(Research) There are three types of fingerprints The three types of fingerprints are Whirls, loops, and ridges. We found that the most common one was the loops with sixty to sixty five percent. We also found out that whirls is the next common fingerprint with thirty to thirty five percent.
What is the Henry Classification System and how is it used?
The Henry System adds up all the values in each of the EVEN numbered fingers where a Whorl appears. This number is used as the Numerator. Then all of the values for the ODD numbered fingers where a Whorl appears are added and used as the Denominator. The above example would have a Henry Classification of 15/1.
What are the 3 general pattern classes of fingerprint?
All fingerprints can be classified into three basic patterns: loops, whorls, and arches.
What is the most common type of fingerprint quizlet?
Loops are the most common fingerprint pattern. All loop patterns show a delta. area found near the center of all loop and whorl patterns. Loops also have a core near the center of the pattern.
What fingerprint pattern is least common?
1: The Arch. This is the rarest type of fingerprint. In fact, about 5% of the world's population have this fingerprint pattern. Its lack of cores, lines or deltas makes it unique.
Which ridge pattern is the most common?
LoopLoop. The loop is the most common type of fingerprint. The ridges form elongated loops. Some people have double loop fingerprints, where the ridges make a curvy S shape.
What are the patterns used to obtain the primary classification?
PRIMARY – The primary classification is obtained through the summation of the value of the whorl type patterns as they appear in the various fingers: Even numbered fingers (2, 4, 6, 8 and 10), being used as the numerator and odd numbered fingers (1, 3, 5, 7 and 9), as the denominator.
What classification system do we use?
The classification system commonly used today is based on the Linnean system and has eight levels of taxa; from the most general to the most specific, these are domain, kingdom, phylum (plural, phyla), class, order, family, genus (plural, genera), and species.
What is the Henry system and why is it useful?
The Henry Classification System is a method by which records of fingerprints are indexed by physiological characteristics, allowing for one-to-many searching. In 1859, a British Chief Magistrate in colonized India discovered that fingerprints remain stable over time and are unique to individuals.
What is the classification system and why is it useful?
The classification system tells something about the evolutionary relationships among species. Moving down through each level of classification, the number of species in the group decreases (Table 1.10). Two species within the same genus likely share a recent common ancestor in their evolutionary history.
What is the use of Henry Classification System of fingerprint in solving crime?
In the Henry System, sets of fingerprints were given a primary classification, based on the distribution of patterns in the fingers. There are 1024 possible primary segments in the database, and further extensions were achieved by assessing the specific features of each digit.
Which is the most commonly used classification scheme?
Whittaker's five-kingdom schemeFinal answer: Whittaker's five-kingdom scheme is the most commonly used classification scheme.
What is Henry classification system?
Subsequent searches (manual or automated) utilizing granular characteristics such as minutiae are greatly simplified. The Henry Classification System is a method to classify fingerprints and exclude potential candidates. This system should never be used for individualization.
What is the name of the book that describes the three main fingerprint patterns?
In 1892, Sir Francis Galton published his highly influential book, Finger Prints in which he described his classification system that include three main fingerprint patterns - loops, whorls and arches. At the time, the alternative to fingerprints was Bertillonage, also known as Anthropometry.
What is the numerical value of the fingers in a whorl pattern?
The system also assigns a numerical value to fingers that contain a whorl pattern; fingers 1 and 2 each have a value of 16, fingers 3 and 4 have a value of 8, fingers 5 and 6 have a value of 4, fingers 7 and 8 have a value of 2, and the final two fingers having a value of 1.
How to determine the number of fingers in a hand?
The Henry Classification System assigns each finger a number according to the order in which it is located in the hand , beginning with the right thumb as number 1 and ending with the left pinky as number 10. The system also assigns a numerical value to fingers that contain a whorl pattern; fingers 1 and 2 each have a value of 16, fingers 3 and 4 have a value of 8, fingers 5 and 6 have a value of 4, fingers 7 and 8 have a value of 2, and the final two fingers having a value of 1. Fingers with a non-whorl pattern, such as an arch or loop pattern, have a value of zero. The sum of the even finger value is then calculated and placed in the numerator of a fraction. The sum of the odd finger values is placed in the denominator. The value of 1 is added to each sum of the whorls with the maximum obtainable on either side of the fraction being 32. Thus, the primary classification is a fraction between 1/1 to 32/32, where 1/1 would indicate no whorl patterns and 32/32 would mean that all fingers had whorl patterns.
What is the value of a finger with a non-whorl pattern?
Fingers with a non-whorl pattern, such as an arch or loop pattern, have a value of zero. The sum of the even finger value is then calculated and placed in the numerator of a fraction. The sum of the odd finger values is placed in the denominator.
When did IAFIS attempt to emulate the Henry process?
When IAFIS solutions attempted to emulate the Henry process. Up until the mid-1990s, it was not unusual for a state or city to continue to maintain its physical file of Henry-sorted fingerprint cards just in case a disaster occurred in the IAFIS.
When were fingerprints first used?
In roughly 1859, Sir William James Herschel discovered that fingerprints remain stable over time and are unique across individuals; as Chief Magistrate of the Hooghly district in Jungipoor, India, in 1877 he was the first to institute the use of fingerprints and handprints as a means of identification, signing legal documents, and authenticating transactions. The fingerprint records collected at this time were used for one-to-one verification only; as a means in which records would be logically filed and searched had not yet been invented.
Where is the secondary line in a classification?
The Secondary is brought up to the classification line to the right of the primary.
What is the numerator made of?
The numerator is made up of the total sum of the values present in the even numbered fingers (2, 4, 6, 8, 10) plus one.
How many characters are in the NCIC FPC?
The NCIC FPC formula is printed in a straight line of 20 alphabetic and numeric characters, beginning with the right thumb as number 1, and continuing through number 10 with the left thumb being number 6.
How many sets of values does the number 6 finger have?
The Major is brought up to the classification line to the left of the primary. Number six finger has only one set of values as a loop; it is always constant. Number one finger has two sets of values as a loop. Number six finger is used as the denominator. Number one finger is used as the numerator.
Which finger is the small letter?
Small letters are brought up to the classification in their respective relative positions to the index finger (2 and 7) when appearing in fingers 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10. All small letters must be indicated in the classification formula.
What is the final number of a number that is not a loop?
If number five is not a loop, the Final is taken from the number ten finger. If neither five nor ten is a loop, there is no Final, with some exceptions. If the Final is taken from number five finger, it is brought up above the classification line.
Which letter eliminates the major?
A small letter (a, t, r) present in either or both thumbs eliminates the Major.
What is Henry classification system?
The Henry Classification System is a method by which records of fingerprints are indexed by physiological characteristics, allowing for one-to-many searching. In 1859, a British Chief Magistrate in colonized India discovered that fingerprints remain stable over time ...
When were fingerprints first used?
In 1859, a British Chief Magistrate in colonized India discovered that fingerprints remain stable over time and are unique to individuals. By 1877 he had instituted the first of fingerprints and handprints as a means of identification. Without a means of filing and searching, the usefulness of this one-to-one matching system was confined ...
Which organ determines the shape and pattern of skin ridges?
The form and pattern of skin ridges are determined by the (epidermis/dermal papillae).
What is a loop pattern that opens towards the thumb?
A loop pattern that opens towards the thumb is known as a (n) (radial/ulnar) loop.
What is primary classification?
Primary classification is the first division for classifying fingerprints using the Henry fingerprint system. It is also called whorl division because it uses only whorl patterns across all the fingers. Here, the values are calculated based on the summation of even and odd fingers, separately followed by the addition of one.
How to Calculate Primary Classification Number?
Following is an example of a 10 digit card. Let’s use this to understand how you can easily calculate the primary classification number of fingerprints.
Which finger is in numerator?
Right Index (finger #2), Right Ring (finger #4), Left thumb (finger #6), Left middle (finger #8), and Left little (finger #10) are placed in numerator. In other words, all even fingers on 10 digit cards are used as numerator while all odd-numbered finger is used as the denominator in the primary classification of fingerprints.
How many pairs of fingerprints are there?
The above 10-digit fingerprints form five pairs, each of which has the same values.
Why are primaries further grouped down to smaller searched groups?
That many prints consume a lot of resources and time. So, with the addition of subdivisions , the primaries are further grouped down to smaller searched groups for more easy and convenient identification.
When are finger prints taken from bandaged fingers?
Note 5: Fingerprints from bandaged fingers are taken after they heal. But, if the healing can’t be possible or result in scars, the values are taken as scarred fingers.

Overview
Explanation
The Henry Classification System allows for logical categorization of ten-print fingerprint records into primary groupings based on fingerprint pattern types. This system reduces the effort necessary to search large numbers of fingerprint records by classifying fingerprint records according to gross physiological characteristics. Subsequent searches (manual or automated) utilizing granula…
History and development
Although fingerprint characteristics were studied as far back as the mid-1600s, the use of fingerprints as a means of identification did not occur until the mid-19th century. In roughly 1859, Sir William James Herschel discovered that fingerprints remain stable over time and are unique across individuals; as Chief Magistrate of the Hooghly district in Jungipoor, India, in 1877 he was the first t…
Impact on current biometric systems
The Henry Classification System has been a highly influential force in the formation of current IAFIS technology (Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System). When IAFIS solutions attempted to emulate the Henry process.
Up until the mid-1990s, it was not unusual for a state or city to continue to maintain its physical file of Henry-sorted fingerprint cards just in case a disaster occurred in the IAFIS. As processing …
External links
• The Henry Classification System
• Javascript implementation of Henry Classification
• http://www.correctionhistory.org/html/chronicl/dcjs/html/nyidbur2.html