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

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2020-01-09</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>false</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001219601</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>CROWN HOLDINGS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>CCK</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001627599</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>NOVAES DJALMA JR</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>770 TOWNSHIP LINE ROAD</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>YARDLEY</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>PA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>19067</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>false</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>true</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>false</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>false</isOther>
            <officerTitle>President - Americas Division</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2020-01-09</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>false</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>14581</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>76159</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">The Reporting Person was granted 14,581 shares of Restricted Common Stock under the 2013 Stock-Based Compensation Plan. 4,978 time-vested restricted shares vest over a three year period as follows: 1,660 time-vested restricted shares on January 11, 2021 and 1,659 time-vested restricted shares on January 10, 2022 and January 9, 2023, respectively. 4,625 performance-based restricted shares are targeted to vest on January 9, 2023 based on the Company's Total Shareholder Return versus a defined peer group of companies, with the final number of performance-based vested shares varying from 0 to 200% of 4,625. 4,978 performance-based restricted shares are targeted to vest on January 9, 2023 based on the Return on Invested Capital achieved by the Company compared to the ROIC target, with the final number of performance-based vested shares varying from 0 to 200% of 4,978.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Rosemary M. Haselroth, by Power of Attorney</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2020-01-13</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
