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

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2018-01-07</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>false</notSubjectToSection16>

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

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001748351</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>GOH HOCK HUAT</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 - Asia Pacific Div.</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2018-01-07</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>false</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>13770</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>48673</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">The Reporting Person was granted 13,770 shares of Restricted Common Stock under the 2013 Stock-Based Compensation Plan. 4,799 time-vested restricted shares vest over a three year period as follows: 1,600 time-vested restricted shares on January 7, 2020 and 2021, respectively, and 1,599 time-vested restricted shares on January 7, 2022. 4,172 performance-based restricted shares are targeted to vest on January 7, 2022 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 4,172. 4,799 performance-based restricted shares are targeted to vest on January 7, 2022 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 4,799.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Rosemary M. Haselroth, by Power of Attorney</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2019-01-09</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
