Fingerprinting was invented by Sir Edward Henry. He came up with a way of fingerprinting individuals. There were four parts to the classification system. The system is called the Henry Classification System.

The four parts are primary, secondary, sub-secondary, and final. There are many other parts, but these are the main four. The fingers are numbered one to ten, with the right thumb being one and the left thumb being six.

The primary classification involves identifying whorls on all of the fingers. The values are numbers, and they are based on the fingers on which the whorls are found. Those numbers are 16, 8, 4, 2, and 1. The value of 16 represents a whorl on the right thumb and right index. The value of 8 represents a whorl on the right middle and right ring. The value of 4 represents a whorl on the right little and left thumb. The value of 2 represents a whorl on the left index and left middle. The value of 1 represents a whorl on the left ring and left little.

The secondary classification involves identifying an ulnar loop, a radial loop, a whorl, or a plain arch on the right and left index. The values for these are U, R, W, and A.

The sub-secondary classification involves identifying the ridge counting or tracing on the right and left index, middle, and ring. Ridge counting is for loops, and ridge tracing is for whorls. The values for these are RI, LI, RM, LM, RR, and LR. These represent the right index, left index, right middle, left middle, right ring, and left ring. The tracing or whorls values are represented in numbers for the ridge tracing or counting, and in letters for the type of meeting. Meeting represents the ridges meeting the line between the two deltas. Outer represents the ridges outside of the line, and Inner represents the ridges inside the line.

The final classification involves the ridge count of loops or whorls in the right and left little. The values for this are represented as numbers. If there is a whorl in either finger, it is treated as an ulnar loop.

The right hand classifications go above the line for the numerator and the left hand classifications go below the line for the denominator. In order, the classifications would be primary, secondary, sub-secondary, and final.