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

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2009-10-01</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001335249</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>HIGHBURY FINANCIAL INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>HBRF</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001007614</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>TALON ASSET MANAGEMENT, LLC</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>1 N FRANKLIN SUITE 900</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>CHICAGO</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>IL</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>60606</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001312859</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Talon Opportunity Partners, L.P.</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O TALON ASSET MANAGEMENT, INC.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>ONE NORTH FRANKLIN, SUITE 900</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>CHICAGO</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>IL</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>60606</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001312857</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Talon Opportunity Managers, L.L.C.</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O TALON ASSET MANAGEMENT, INC.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>ONE NORTH FRANKLIN, SUITE 900</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>CHICAGO</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>IL</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>60606</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2009-10-01</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>O</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>315425</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>5</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>1287837</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>By Talon Opportunity Partners, L.P. and Talon Opportunity Managers, LLC</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Warrants (right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>5</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2009-10-01</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>O</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>315425</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F5"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2010-01-25</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>315425</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>By Talon Opportunity Partners, L.P. and Talon Opportunity Managers, LLC</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Shares of Common Stock were acquired upon the exercise of warrants on October 1, 2009.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Of this total amount, 1,273,837 shares are owned directly by Talon Opportunity Partners, L.P. (the &quot;Limited Partnership&quot;).</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">As the General Partner to the Limited Partnership, Talon Opportunity Managers, LLC may be deemed to be the beneficial owner of the Issuer's securities held by the Limited Partnership. Talon Opportunity Managers, LLC disclaims any beneficial ownership of any of the Issuer's securities held by the Limited Partnership, except to the extent of Talon Opportunity Managers, LLC's pecuniary interest therein, and the inclusion of these shares in this report shall not be deemed an admission of beneficial ownership of all of the reported shares for purposes of Section 16 or for any other purpose.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">As the Manager of Talon Opportunity Managers, LLC, Talon Asset Management, LLC may be deemed to be the beneficial owner of the Issuer's securities held by the Limited Partnership. Talon Asset Management, LLC disclaims any beneficial ownership of any of the Issuer's securities held by the Limited Partnership, except to the extent of Talon Asset Management, LLC's pecuniary interest therein, and the inclusion of these shares in this report shall not be deemed an admission of beneficial ownership of all of the reported shares for purposes of Section 16 or for any other purpose.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F5">Since the transaction is the exercise of the warrants, the exercise price, as reported in column 2, is $5.00.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ William Wolf, Chief Operating Officer, Talon Asset Management, LLC</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2009-10-06</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ William Wolf, Chief Operating Officer, Talon Asset Management, LLC, as Manager of Talon Opportunity Managers, LLC</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2009-10-06</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ William Wolf, Member of Talon Opportunity Managers, LLC, as General Partner of Talon Opportunity Partners, L.P.</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2009-10-06</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
