The gross occupations of molecular orbitals in charge‐transfer complexes are defined in terms of a multiconfigurational scheme over nonorthogonal orbitals. Their physical significance is illustrated by reference to Mulliken's gross atomic populations, of which they are the molecular analogs: under well specified approximations the corresponding net atomic charges provide a uniquely defined set of point charges representing a molecule in an electric field. Alternatives and limitations to the use of gross occupations as measures of charge transfer (and to methods for obtaining them) are illustrated by ab initio computations of Li+‐H2O, HCN‐CO, formamide‐glyoxal, TCNE‐Benzene: in particular, geometrical criteria for partitioning the total charge density are briefly presented.