The structural properties of the XFe 3N (X=Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu and Zn) cubic ternary iron based nitrides as well as the preferential occupation site of X in the structure were studied using Full Potential Linearized Augmented Plane Wave method, within the Density Functional Theory formalism, Wien2k code, the exchange-correlation potential described with the Perdew-Burke-Ernzerhof expression, based in the Local Spin Density Approximation and Generalized Gradient Approximation. According the calculations, the Sc, Co, Ni, Cu and Zn, atoms preferred the corner sites of the cubes, while Ti, V, Cr and Mn occupy the centre of the faces of the equilibrium structures. The equilibrium structure lattice parameters have an oscillatory behaviour with the atomic number of X, with decreasing amplitude as the atomic number of X increases. This trend do not correlated with the atomic radii of X. © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.