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

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-07-01</periodOfReport><notSubjectToSection16>1</notSubjectToSection16>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000109312</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>ZIEGLER COMPANIES INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>ZCO</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001237983</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>TUSZYNSKI ROBERT J</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>0</isDirector><isOfficer>0</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>1</isOther><otherText>Former Officer</otherText></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-07-01</value></transactionDate><deemedExecutionDate><value>2003-07-01</value></deemedExecutionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>D</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>666</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>0</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>334</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>By Rabbi Trust</value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Incentive Stock Option (right to buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>19.375</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-07-01</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>D</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>5000</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>0</value><footnoteId id="F3"/></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2006-08-28</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2008-08-27</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>5000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>0</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Incentive Stock Option (right to buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>18.125</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-07-01</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>D</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>1666</value><footnoteId id="F4"/></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>0</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2003-09-22</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2010-09-22</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>1666</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>0</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Incentive Stock Option (right to buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>16.625</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-07-01</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>D</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>4000</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>0</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>1996-12-29</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2003-12-28</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>4000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>0</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Non-Statutory Stock Option (right to buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>17.375</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-07-01</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>D</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>5000</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>0</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>1998-01-09</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2007-01-08</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>5000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>0</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><footnotes><footnote id="F1">These restricted shares were forfeited to the company for no consideration.</footnote><footnote id="F2">Mr. Tuszynski also holds an additional 150 shares of Common Stock directly.</footnote><footnote id="F3">All stock options reported on this Form 4 have lapsed. No consideration was paid.  </footnote><footnote id="F4">Mr. Tuszynski holds an additional fully vested 3,334 stock options pursuant to this grant.  Mr. Tuszynski may exercise these options on or before October 1, 2003, otherwise, the remaining options will lapse. </footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>S. Charles O'Meara by Power of Attorney for Robert J. Tuszynski</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-07-09</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

