Abstract Strong spin-orbit coupling in noncentrosymmetric materials and interfaces results in remarkable physical phenomena, such as nontrivial spin textures, which may exhibit Rashba, Dresselhaus, and other intricated configurations. This provides a promising basis for nonvolatile spintronic devices and further implications. Here, we simulate from first principles a two-dimensional electron gas in ultrathin platinum and palladium layers grown on ferroelectric PbTiO3(001).