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

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2018-04-04</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001095996</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>WILLIAM LYON HOMES</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>WLH</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001575400</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>DOYLE BRIAN W</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O WILLIAM LYON HOMES</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>4695 MACARTHUR CT., 8TH FLOOR</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEWPORT BEACH</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>92660</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>EVP &amp; COO</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>CLASS A COMMON STOCK</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2018-04-04</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>15596</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>28.0191</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>166856</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">The shares were sold by the Reporting Person pursuant to a plan adopted in accordance with Rule 10b5-1 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">The price reported in Column 4 is a weighted average price.  The shares were sold in multiple transactions at prices ranging from $28.00 to $28.05, inclusive.  The Reporting Person undertakes to provide to the Issuer, any security holder of the Issuer, or the staff of the Securities and Exchange Commission, upon request, full information regarding the number of shares sold at each separate price within the range set forth in this footnote.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Jason R. Liljestrom, Attorney-in-Fact for Brian W. Doyle</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2018-04-06</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
