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

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2005-01-21</periodOfReport>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001060021</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>BLACKROCK INC /NY</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>BLK</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001210401</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>AUDET PAUL</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O BLACKROCK FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT, INC.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>40 EAST 52ND STREET</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10022</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Chief Financial Officer</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Shares of Class A Common Stock (par value $0.01 per share)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2005-01-21</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>2457</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>79.34</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>9807</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Restricted stock granted pursuant to an award made under the BlackRock, Inc. 1999 Stock Award and Incentive Plan, as amended. The shares become unrestricted in three equal annual installments beginning on December 15, 2005.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Includes 2,072 shares of Class A Common Stock acquired by the reporting person under the BlackRock, Inc. Employee Stock Purchase Plan through July 31, 2004.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Bartholomew Battista as Attorney-in-Fact for Paul Audet</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2005-01-25</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>

