Pierre Adrien Prosper Finot was born on May 4, 1838, in Paris, France.

He was a French entomologist, a member of the Fontainebleau Entomological Society. Before 1870, he served as a staff captain in the French Army under Napoleon III and spent time in Africa. His strong interest in natural history led him to become well known in entomology. He wrote many books and donated an important collection of orthoptera to the museum.

He died on April 14, 1908, in Fontainebleau, Seine-et-Marne, France.