<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2019-05-09</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001043277</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>C H ROBINSON WORLDWIDE INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>CHRW</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001663286</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Biesterfeld Robert C Jr</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>14701 CHARLSON ROAD</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>EDEN PRAIRIE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>MN</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>55347</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Chief Executive Officer</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2019-05-09</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>P</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1202</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>83.1825</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>24619</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Option (right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>82.68</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2019-05-09</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>106370</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0.00</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2029-05-09</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>106370</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>106370</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Reflects the weighted average price of 1,202 shares of common stock of C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc. purchased by the reporting person in multiple transactions on May 9, 2019 with purchase prices ranging from $83.178 to $83.22 per share. The reporting person undertakes to provide upon request by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission staff, the issuer, or a security holder of the issuer, full information regarding the number of shares purchased at each separate price.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Includes 588 shares acquired pursuant to the Issuer's employee stock purchase plan.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Included in this amount are 22,246 shares of Issuer common stock issuable in settlement of an equal number of vested deferred shares and restricted stock units credited to the reporting person's NQDC Plan account, and 1,785 shares held directly by the reporting person.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">Stock option granted May 9, 2019 vests as to 20% of the shares subject to the option on December 31 in each of the years 2019-2023.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Jessica Homes, Attorney-in-Fact for Robert C. Biesterfeld</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2019-05-13</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
