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

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2017-09-08</periodOfReport>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000076334</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>PARKER HANNIFIN CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>PH</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001167075</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>OBOURN CANDY M</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>570 EAST LAKE ROAD</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>RUSHVILLE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>14544</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2017-09-08</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1241</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>161.462</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>11189</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Includes 10 shares acquired since December 2016 pursuant to a dividend reinvestment feature of the Parker-Hannifin Corporation 2016 Omnibus Stock Incentive Plan.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">The price reported in Column 4 is a weighted average price.  These shares were sold in multiple transactions at prices ranginfg from $161.411 to $161.477, inclusive.  The reporting person undertakes to provide to Parker-Hannifin Corporation, any security holder of Parker-Hannifin Corporation, 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 ranges set forth in footnote 2 to this Form 4.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Kelley B. Standard, Attorney in Fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2017-09-08</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
