Anthropometric indices are very simple ratios based on linear measurements of the head and face and for more than a century have influenced the description of variation in head and facial form by anatomists, physical anthropologists and clinicians. This review attempts to trace the history of three commonly used indices: the cephalic (cranial) index, the facial index and the nasal index, from their beginnings in the nineteenth century in the field of craniometry to their current use in forensic applications, surgical procedures and paediatric assessment. The paper examines the evolution of measurement technique, from callipers, fixed anatomical landmarks to a more recent three-dimensional scanning and geometric morphometrics. The formula, population variation and classification categories for each index are discussed and the clinical or forensic importance of the index is discussed. The review also addresses the difficult history of these measurements, especially the use of these measures for classification of race in the nineteenth century, and how the discipline has shifted to more cautious, population-specific, and statistically-based interpretations. It finds that although traditional indices still serve as a rapid, inexpensive and convenient screening tool, the value of these indices is limited unless they are used in conjunction with three dimensional and statistical shape analysis methods.