<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0101</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-07-14</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000106926</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>WHITNEY HOLDING CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>WTNY</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001186072</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>MARKS WILLIAM L</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>Chairman &amp; Chief Exec. Officer</officerTitle></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common stock no par value</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-07-14</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>2143</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>18.6666</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>193941</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common stock no par value</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-07-14</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>2100</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>19.25</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>196041</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Nonqualified stock options</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>18.6666</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-07-14</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>2143</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>18.6666</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>1995-01-27</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2004-07-26</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>2143</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>0</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Nonqualified stock options</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>19.25</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-07-14</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>2100</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>19.25</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>1996-01-26</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2005-07-25</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>2100</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>19705</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><footnotes><footnote id="F1">This total does not include 63,000 shares of restricted stock granted under the Company's Long Term Incentive Plans pursuant to Rule 16b and 7,371.92 shares of stock held for Mr. Marks in the Company's 401(k) plan,</footnote><footnote id="F2">As previously reported, Mr. Marks also has outstanding options to acquire up to 326,703 shares of stock at exercise prices ranging from $19.25 to $36.666 pursuant to the Company's Long Term Incentive Plans.</footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>Patricia K. Loupe, Asst. Corp. Secretary and attorney-in-fact</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-07-15</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

