Results of study of the spatial distribution of polarization by scattering (X‐ray and neutron) and Piezoresponse Force Microscopy techniques are presented for several relaxors both cubic (PMN and PMNPT solid solutions) and uniaxial (SBN). It is demonstrated that in all cases except pure PMN cooled in zero electric field polar nanodomains are formed. In case of PMN cooled in the applied field nanodomain state is preserved even after subsequent zero field heating to above freezing temperature. AFM measurements of PMNPT10 are used to determine the quantitative characteristics of these nanodomains. © 2003 American Institute of Physics