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

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2011-03-04</periodOfReport>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001486957</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>Babcock &amp; Wilcox Co</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>BWC</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001199539</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>FEES JOHN A</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>13024 BALLANTYNE CORPORATE PLACE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>SUITE 700</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>CHARLOTTE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NC</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>28277</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>2011-03-04</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>98572</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>10.58</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>154749</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2011-03-04</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>60000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>94749</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>8897</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>401k Plan</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Options (right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>10.58</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2011-03-04</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>98572</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>10.58</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2010-08-02</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2016-03-05</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>98572</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">60,000 shares sold on March 4, 2011 as follows: 500 @ $34.38, 200 @ $34.385, 200 @ $34.40, 200 @ $34.4175, 200 @ $34.42, 786 @ $34.43, 200 @ $34.44, 400 @ $34.4475, 200 @ $34.46, 200 @ $34.47, 200 @ $34.48, 200 @ $34.495, 100 @ $34.50, 100 @ $34.505, 800 @ $34.51, 600 @ $34.515, 204 @ $34.5202, 800 @ $34.525, 1,225 @ $34.53, 200 @ $34.5388, 700 @ $34.54, 375 @ $34.542, 200 @ $34.5425, 600 @ $34.545, 510 @ $34.55, 200 @ $34.555, 290 @ $34.5552, 731 @ $34.56, 300 @ $34.565, 600 @ $34.57, 200 @ $34.5725, 600 @ $34.58, 400 @ $34.585, 400 @ $34.59, 300 @ $34.5967, 273 @ $34.60, 200 @ $34.6025, 1,300 @ $34.61, 282 @ $34.6182, 118 @ $34.62, 200 @ $34.635, 400 @ $34.6375, 335 @ $34.64, 100 @ $34.645, 500 @ $34.65, 300 @ $34.665, 379 @ $34.6664, 100 @ $34.675, 400 @ $34.68, 100 @ $34.71, 200 @ $34.72, 107 @ $34.7207, 500 @ $34.73, 400 @ $34.735, 300 @ $34.7367, 800 @ 34.7394, 1,025 @ $34.74, 1,146 @ $34.75, 300 @ $34.76, 100 @ $34.765, 1,100 @ $34.77, 100 @ $34.78, 800 @ $34.79.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Continuation from Footnote 1:  838 @ $34.80, 100 @ $34.815, 200 @ $34.82, 300 @ $34.835, 500 @ $34.84, 99 @ $34,85, 2,500 @ $34.86, 100 @ $34.87, 300 @ $34,.88, 600 @ $34.89, 17,405 @ $34.8961,
 1,200 @ $34.905, 300 @ $34.91, 14 @ $34.92, 700 @ $34.94, 100 @ $34.95, 500 @ $34.98, 600 @ $34.995, 1,500 @ $35.00, 400 @ $35.01, 3 @ $35.03, 200 @ $35.08, 300 @ $35.085, 1,700 @ $35.09, 100 @ $35.095, 800 @ $35.10, 200 @ $35.12, 450 @ $35.13, 1,305 @ $35.14, 600 @ $35.16, 300 @ $35.17
.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Based on number of units held in the BWC Thrift Plan and the fair market value of BWC common stock as of March 4, 2011.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Angela P. Winter, attorney-in-fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2011-03-08</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
