Results of calculations for the (110) polar surfaces of three ABO3perovskites — STO, BTO and LMO — are discussed. These are based onab initioHartree‐Fock method and classical Shell Model. Both methods agree well on both surface energies and on near‐surface atomic displacements. A novel model of the “zig‐zag” surface termination is suggested and analyzed. Considerable increase of the Ti&sngbnd;O chemical bond covalency nearby the surface is predicted for STO. © 2003 American Institute of Physics