<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001209191-07-020808
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20070330
<FILING-DATE>20070402
<DATE-OF-FILING-DATE-CHANGE>20070402
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>KUCERA PHILIP E
<CIK>0001179911
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>001-05842
<FILM-NUMBER>07737477
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<PHONE>2129245500
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>BOWNE & CO INC
<STREET2>55 WATER STREET
<CITY>NEW YORK
<STATE>NY
<ZIP>10041
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<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>
<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>2007-03-30</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

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

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001179911</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>KUCERA PHILIP E</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>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>2007-03-30</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1392</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>15.27</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>119799</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </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>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Philip E. Kucera by Scott L. Spitzer under Power of Attorney</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2007-04-02</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
