Who is noted as the first European to utilize friction ridge prints for identification?

Sir William Herschel is recognized as the first European to utilize friction ridge prints for identification purposes in a systematic way. In the 19th century, while working in India, Herschel began to collect fingerprints for the purpose of identifying individuals, particularly to prevent fraud in contracts. His initial efforts laid the foundation for the future use of fingerprints in various legal and civil applications.

Herschel's pioneering work was significant because he not only understood the uniqueness of friction ridge patterns but also realized their potential for personal identification, which was a revolutionary concept at the time. His legacy influenced other later figures in the field of fingerprint identification, marking a crucial step in the development of forensic science. Other individuals listed in the options made important contributions to forensic science and identification, but Herschel is specifically noted for being the first in Europe to employ these methods.