<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001209191-07-017866
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20070314
<FILING-DATE>20070315
<DATE-OF-FILING-DATE-CHANGE>20070315
<ISSUER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>BOWNE & CO INC
<CIK>0000013610
<ASSIGNED-SIC>2750
<IRS-NUMBER>132618477
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>DE
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>1231
</COMPANY-DATA>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>55 WATER STREET
<CITY>NEW YORK
<STATE>NY
<ZIP>10041-0006
<PHONE>2129245500
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>55 WATER STREET
<CITY>NEW YORK
<STATE>NY
<ZIP>10041-0006
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</ISSUER>
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>BAMBACH RICHARD JR
<CIK>0001027319
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>DE
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>001-05842
<FILM-NUMBER>07695591
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>C/O ICG COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
<STREET2>9605 E. MAROON CIRCLE, P.O. BOX 6742
<CITY>ENGLEWOOD
<STATE>CO
<ZIP>80155-6742
<PHONE>3035725960
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>55 WATER STREET
<CITY>NEW YORK
<STATE>NY
<ZIP>10041
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>doc4.xml
<DESCRIPTION>FORM 4 SUBMISSION
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2007-03-14</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000013610</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>BOWNE &amp; CO INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>BNE</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001027319</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>BAMBACH RICHARD JR</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>BOWNE &amp; CO., INC.,</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>55 WATER STREET</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10041</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>VP,  Corp. Control.</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2007-03-14</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>239</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>15.874</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>3475</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Deferred stock units credited to the Reporting Person under Company plans as permitted under applicable SEC rules.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">The number of shares of Common Stock beneficially owned as of the date reported, including the number of deferred stock units credited to the Reporting Person under Company plans as permitted under applicable SEC rules.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">This number includes units previously acquired by dividend reinvestment.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Richard Bambach, Jr. by Scott L. Spitzer under Power of Attorney</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2007-03-15</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
