He was born into a noble family on 7 June 1795 in Mužla. He was registered as Péter Pathó Pál. He was a deputy judge in Esztergom and officer of the municipality of Svodín. In 1848 he was an organiser of the local national guard. He died of pneumonia on 28 April 1855 in Hungarian Svodín.
In his poem written in November 1847, Sándor Petőfi created — modelled on Mr. Pál Pathó — the figure of Pató Pál úr, who embodies indolent apathy.