<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-08-29</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000835324</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>S Y BANCORP INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>SYI</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001193287</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>BROOKS DAVID H</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>4010 FOX MEADOW WAY</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>PROSPECT</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>KY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>40059</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>Chairman &amp; CEO</officerTitle></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeTable><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-08-29</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>P</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>13.677</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>39.95</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>454.984</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value><footnoteId id="F5"/><footnoteId id="F6"/></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/><footnoteId id="F1"/><footnoteId id="F2"/><footnoteId id="F3"/><footnoteId id="F4"/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction></nonDerivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">454.984 shares held in Deferred Comp Plan</footnote><footnote id="F2">22,828 shares held Indirectly by Wife</footnote><footnote id="F3">7,564.4333 shares held in ESOP Indirectly</footnote><footnote id="F4">1,443.6370 shares held in 401k Indirectly</footnote><footnote id="F5"> Derivative Securities:  2,000 RSO @ .8615,  2,000 ISO @ 20.50,  10,200 ISO @ 23.9375,  11,500 ISO @ 21.00, 16,000 ISO@20.63, 12,000 ISO @ 33.60, 9,300 ISO @ 39.10 held Directly</footnote><footnote id="F6">12,421 shares held Directly</footnote></footnotes><remarks/><ownerSignature><signatureName>//David H. Brooks</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-08-29</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

