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

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-11-04</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001055870</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>BLUE RIVER BANCSHARES INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>BRBI</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001054628</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>BREEDEN RUSSELL III</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>20 NORTH MERIDIAN STREET, SUITE 800A</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>INDIANAPOLIS,</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>IN</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>46204</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>Chief Executive Officer</officerTitle></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeTable><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock, without par value</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-11-04</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>P</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>51500</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>4.50</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>508171</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction></nonDerivativeTable><footnotes/><remarks>The Reporting Person is a member of a Section 13(d) group that owns more than ten percent (10%) of the Issuer's outstanding stock.</remarks><ownerSignature><signatureName>Russell Breeden III</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-11-04</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

