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

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2016-02-05</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001043277</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>C H ROBINSON WORLDWIDE INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>CHRW</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001241113</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>WIEHOFF JOHN</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>14701 CHARLSON ROAD</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>EDEN PRAIRIE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>MN</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>55347</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>CEO</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2016-02-05</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>37903</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>67.54</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>767363</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2016-02-05</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>6479</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>67.87</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>760884</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>56000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>By Spouse</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Reflects the weighted average price of 37,903 shares of common stock of C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc. sold by the reporting person in multiple transactions on February 5, 2016 with sale prices ranging from $66.82 to $67.81 per share. The reporting person undertakes to provide upon request by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission staff, the issuer, or a security holder of the issuer, full information regarding the number of shares sold at each separate price.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Reflects the weighted average price of 6,479 shares of common stock of C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc. sold by the reporting person in multiple transactions on February 5, 2016 with sale prices ranging from $67.82 to $67.96 per share. The reporting person undertakes to provide upon request by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission staff, the issuer, or a security holder of the issuer, full information regarding the number of shares sold at each separate price.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Included in this amount are 643,191 shares of Issuer common stock issuable in settlement of an equal number of deferred shares and vested performance restricted stock units credited to the reporting person's Non-Qualified Deferred Compensation Plan account, and 117,693 shares held directly by the reporting person.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Troy Renner, Attorney-in-Fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2016-02-09</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
