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

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2007-04-19</periodOfReport>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001271193</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>SUPERIOR ESSEX INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>SPSX</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001279727</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>CARTER STEPHEN MARTIN</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O SUPERIOR ESSEX INC.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>150 INTERSTATE NORTH PARKWAY</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>ATLANTA</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>GA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>30339</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Chief Executive Officer</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2007-04-19</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>14000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>242906</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2007-04-20</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>16000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>226906</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>200</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>As custodian for sons</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">The sale of shares reported in the Form 4 were effected pursuant to a Rule 10b5-1 trading plan adopted by the Reporting Person on November 7, 2006.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">The shares were sold in multiple transactions at the following prices:400 shares at $35.00; 200 shares at $35.02; 300 shares at $35.04; 100 shares at $35.06; 300 shares at $35.07; 100 shares at $35.11; 100 shares at $35.12; 200 shares at $35.14; 200 shares at $35.15; 100 shares at $35.16; 100 shares at $35.27; 2,900 shares at $35.30; 700 shares at $35.31; 900 shares at $35.32, 100 shares at 35.34; 1,558 shares at $35.35; 1,129 shares at $35.36; 550 shares at $35.37; 867 shares at $35.39; 496 shares at $35.42; 400 shares at $35.43; 300 shares at $35.46; 200 shares at $35.47; 100 shares at $35.48; 400 shares at $35.52; 200 shares at $35.56; 100 shares at $35.61; 100 shares at $35.62; 400 shares at $35.66; 300 shares at $35.68; 100 shares at $35.70; and 100 shares at $35.77.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">The shares were sold in multiple transactions at the following prices: 100 shares at $35.76; 200 shares at $35.77; 100 shares at $35.85; 100 shares at $35.86; 200 shares at $35.87; 200 shares at $35.88; 300 shares at $35.89; 100 shares at $35.91; 200 shares at $35.92; 300 shares at $35.94; 100 shares at $35.96; 100 shares at $36.14; 100 shares at $36.15; 100 shares at $36.16; 100 shares at $36.17; 700 shares at $36.20; 100 shares at $36.21; 200 shares at $36.22; 300 shares at $36.23; 300 shares at $36.25; 500 shares at $36.27; 200 shares at $36.28; 100 shares at $36.29; 300 shares at $36.30; 400 shares at $36.31; 300 shares at $36.32; 759 shares at $36.33; 500 shares at $36.34; 2,200 shares at $36.35; 959 shares at $36.36; 1,500 shares at $36.37; 2,002 shares at $36.38; 260 shares at $36.39; 320 shares at $36.40; 300 shares at $36.41; 600 shares at $36.42; 500 shares at $36.45; 100 shares at $36.46; and 300 shares at $36.47</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">The reporting person disclaims beneficial ownership of these securities except to the extent of his pecuniary interest therein and the inclusion of these shares in this report shall not be deemed an admission of beneficial ownership of all the reported shares for purposes of Section 16 or for any other purpose.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Barbara L. Blackford, Attorney-in-fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2007-04-23</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
