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

    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>3</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2004-02-12</periodOfReport>

    <noSecuritiesOwned>0</noSecuritiesOwned>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001271193</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>SUPERIOR ESSEX INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>TBD</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001269133</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>AP ST LLC</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>TWO MANHATTANVILLE ROAD</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>PURCHASE,</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10577</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001162726</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>APOLLO INVESTMENT FUND V LP</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>TWO MANHATTANVILLE ROAD</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>PURCHASE,</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10577</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001162724</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>APOLLO OVERSEAS PARTNERS V LP</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>TWO MANHATTANVILLE ROAD</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>PURCHASE,</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10577</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001206226</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>APOLLO NETHERLANDS PARTNERS V A LP</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>TWO MANHATTANVILLE ROAD</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>PURCHASE,</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10577</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001206227</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>APOLLO NETHERLANDS PARTNERS V B  LP</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>TWO MANHATTANVILLE ROAD</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>PURCHASE,</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10577</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001206228</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>APOLLO GERMAN PARTNERS V GMBH &amp; CO KG</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>TWO MANHATTANVILLE ROAD</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>PURCHASE,</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10577</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001162728</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>APOLLO MANAGEMENT V LP</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>TWO MANHATTANVILLE ROAD</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>PURCHASE,</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10577</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001162727</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>APOLLO ADVISORS V LP</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>TWO MANHATTANVILLE ROAD</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>PURCHASE,</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10577</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>2477287</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Apollo Investment Fund V, L.P., Apollo Overseas Partners V, L.P., Apollo Netherlands Partners V (A), L.P., Apollo Netherlands V (B), L.P., and Apollo German Partners V GmbH &amp; Co., KG (collectively, the &quot;Apollo Funds&quot;) are all members of AP-ST, LLC.  Apollo Management V, L.P. serves as the manager of the Apollo Funds and the Reporting Person.  Apollo Advisors V, L.P. (&quot;Advisors&quot;) is the general partner of each of the Apollo Funds.  AIF V Management, Inc. (&quot;AIF V&quot;) is the general partner of Management.  Apollo Capital Management V, Inc. (&quot;ACM V&quot;) is the general partner of Advisors.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">The Apollo Funds, Advisors, Management, AIF V, ACM V and Messrs. Leon Black and John Hannan, the executive officers and directors of AIF V and ACM V, disclaim ownership of all shares in excess of their pecuniary interests, if any, and this report shall not be deemed an admission that any such person or entity is the beneficial owner of, or has a pecuniary interest in, such securities for purposes of Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or for any other purpose.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Michael D. Weiner, Vice President of AIF V Management, Inc., General Partner of Apollo Management V, L.P., Manager of AP-ST, LLC</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2004-02-12</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Michael D. Weiner, Vice President of Apollo Capital Management V, Inc., General Partner of Apollo Advisors V, L.P., General Partner of Apollo Investment Fund V, L.P.</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2004-02-12</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Michael D. Weiner, Vice President of Apollo Capital Management V, Inc., General Partner of Apollo Advisors V, L.P., General Partner of Apollo Overseas Partners V, L.P.</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2004-02-12</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Michael D. Weiner, Vice President of Apollo Capital Management V, Inc., General Partner of Apollo Advisors V, L.P., General Partner of Apollo Netherlands Partners V (A), L.P.</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2004-02-12</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Michael D. Weiner, Vice President of Apollo Capital Management V, Inc., General Partner of Apollo Advisors V, L.P., General Partner of Apollo Netherlands Partners V (B), L.P.</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2004-02-12</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Michael D. Weiner, Vice President of Apollo Capital Managment V, Inc., General Partner of Apollo Advisors V, L.P., General Partner of Apollo German Partners V GMBH &amp; CO. KG</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2004-02-12</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Michael D. Weiner, Vice President of AIF V Management, Inc., General Partner of Apollo Management V, L.P.</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2004-02-12</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Michael D. Weiner, Vice President of Apollo Capital Management V, Inc., General Partner of Apollo Advisors V, L.P.</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2004-02-12</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>

