<?xml version="1.0"?><ownershipDocument><schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2004-01-21</periodOfReport><notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16><issuer><issuerCik>0000092081</issuerCik><issuerName>SOUTHTRUST CORP</issuerName>        <issuerTradingSymbol>SOTR</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId><rptOwnerCik>0001186513</rptOwnerCik><rptOwnerName>YOTHER ALTON E</rptOwnerName></reportingOwnerId><reportingOwnerAddress><rptOwnerStreet1>420 NORTH 20TH STREET, 34TH FLOOR</rptOwnerStreet1><rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2><rptOwnerCity>BIRMINGHAM</rptOwnerCity><rptOwnerState>AL</rptOwnerState><rptOwnerZipCode>35203</rptOwnerZipCode><rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription></reportingOwnerAddress><reportingOwnerRelationship><isDirector>0</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>EVP, Treasurer and Controller</officerTitle></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeTable><nonDerivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>14796.8289</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeHolding></nonDerivativeTable><derivativeTable><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Right to buy</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>6.3750</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>1996-01-18</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2005-01-18</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>common stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>3000.0000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>3000.0000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Right to buy</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>8.4167</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>1997-01-17</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2006-01-17</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>common stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>4500.0000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>4500.0000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Right to buy</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>12.1250</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>1998-01-16</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2007-01-16</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>common 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stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>3300.0000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>3300.0000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Right to buy</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>18.9063</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>2000-01-20</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2009-01-20</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>common stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>6800.0000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>5288.0000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Right to buy</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>15.6875</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>2003-01-19</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2010-01-18</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>common stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>8500.0000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>8500.0000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Right to buy</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>20.0300</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>2004-01-16</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2011-01-15</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>common 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stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>12000.0000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>12000.0000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Right to buy</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>26.1800</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>2006-01-14</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2013-01-13</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>common stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>12000.0000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>12000.0000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Right to buy</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>33.5500</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2004-01-21</value></transactionDate><deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>15000.0000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><footnoteId id="F1" /></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2004-12-31</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2014-01-20</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>common stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>15000.0000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>15000.0000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction></derivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Options granted.</footnote></footnotes><remarks></remarks><ownerSignature><signatureName>John D. Buchanan - Attorney-in-fact</signatureName><signatureDate>2004-01-23</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

