<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-08-04</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000053347</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>JEFFERSON PILOT CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>JP</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001022877</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>HENDERSON GEORGE W III</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>BURLINGTON INDUSTRIES, INC.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>P. O. BOX 21207</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>GREENSBORO</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NC</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>27420</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>0</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><derivativeTable><derivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Phantom Stock Unit</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>0</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-08-04</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>69</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>0</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>1988-08-18</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>1988-08-18</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>69</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>11916</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction></derivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Director fees deferred. Column 9 total includes reinvested dividend units credited at market value on last dividend date.</footnote><footnote id="F2">Phantom stock units will be paid out in JP shares after board service terminates.</footnote></footnotes><remarks/><ownerSignature><signatureName>Robert A. Reed, Attorney in Fact</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-08-04</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

