In this paper we report the variation in structural and magnetic properties of ternary ferrite nanoparticles (NPs) having stoichiometery Co0.6-xMgxZn0.4 Fe2O4 (x = 0.0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6) and pure spine! ferrites MFe2O4 (M = Mg, Co). NPs with average particle diameter of 25-45 nm were synthesized employing self-propagating oxalyl dihydrazide - metal nitrate combustion method. The products were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and FT-IR spectroscopy. FT-IR spectral analysis revealed two bands centered at 560 and 440 cm(-1) for tetrahedral and octahedral metal oxygen bond stretching. Zinc doping caused red shift in the frequency band of tetrahedral M-O stretching. XRD powder diffraction patterns confirmed the formation of spinel ferrite nanoparticles, expansion of the lattice on zinc doping and enhancement of spinel phase purity in the doped ferrites. Cobalt ferrite displayed lowering of the magnetic parameters on zinc doping which further decreased in ternary ferrites Co0.6-xMgxZn0.4 Fe2O4 on replacing cobalt ions with nonmagnetic magnesium ions up to x = 0.4. At x = 0.6 reverse trend was observed and Ms was enhanced. Magnesium zinc ferrite Mg0.6Zn0.4 Fe2O4 with high value of Ms was obtained. Combustion process employed in the present studies serves as a low temperature facile route for the synthesis and structural analysis of ternary doped ferrite nanoparticles. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.