The invention discloses a fingerprint identification method and device. The fingerprint identification method comprises the steps of: obtaining a fingerprint image to be identified, and extracting first characteristic points in the fingerprint image to be identified; if the number of the first characteristic points in the fingerprint image to be identified is smaller than a preset threshold, selecting a fingerprint template image according to the first characteristic points in the fingerprint image to be identified, and obtaining second characteristic points, matched with the first characteristic points, in the fingerprint template image; according to the first characteristic points and the second characteristic points, superposing the fingerprint image to be identified with the fingerprint template image, generating a superposed image, and obtaining effective superposing areas between the fingerprint image to be identified and the fingerprint template image; and according to the effective superposing areas, judging whether the fingerprint image to be identified is matched with the fingerprint template image, and carrying out fingerprint identification according to the matching result. By adopting the fingerprint identification method provided by the invention, fingerprint identification under the condition that the characteristic points are fewer is realized, the success rate of the fingerprint identification is improved, and the false identification rate is reduced.