Latreille, Pierre André (1762-1833), a French naturalist. He contributed to entomology (the study of insects) by devising a new method of classification, using family names. Latreille attended the College Lemoine at Paris and was ordained a priest in 1786. During the French Revolution he was imprisoned for a time as a royalist sympathizer. In 1796 Latreille was given charge of the entomological collection at the Museum of Natural History. He became professor of zoology there in 1830.