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

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2009-06-30</periodOfReport>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000106926</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>WHITNEY HOLDING CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>WTNY</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001272113</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>SULLIVAN KATHRYN M</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>225 N. MICHIGAN AVENUE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>CHICAGO</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>IL</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>60601</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock No Par Value</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2009-06-30</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>3276</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>9.16</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>7322</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common stock no par value</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>161</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>Held in custodian account for Mackenzie L. Miller over which Ms. Sullivan has voting rights</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Comm stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>29.8333</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2004-06-30</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2014-06-30</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Comm stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>4500</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>4500</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Comm stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>32.615</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2005-06-30</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2015-06-29</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Comm stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>4500</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>4500</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Comm stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>35.37</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2006-06-30</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2016-06-29</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Comm stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>4500</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>4500</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Comm stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>30.10</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2007-06-30</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2017-06-30</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Comm stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>4500</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>4500</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Comm stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>18.30</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2008-06-30</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2018-06-30</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Comm stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>4500</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>4500</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Share total doesn't include 379.460 shares held in the dividend reinvestment program.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Outstanding options to acquire shares of stock pursuant to the Company's Directors Compensation Plans.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Patricia K. Loupe, Asst. Corp. Secretary of Whitney Holding Corporation and atty-in-fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2009-07-01</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
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X0303
4
2009-06-30
0000106926
WHITNEY HOLDING CORP
WTNY
0001272113
SULLIVAN KATHRYN M
225 N. MICHIGAN AVENUE
CHICAGO
IL
60601
1
0
0
0
Common Stock No Par Value
2009-06-30
4
A
0
3276
9.16
A
7322
D
Common stock no par value
161
I
Held in custodian account for Mackenzie L. Miller over which Ms. Sullivan has voting rights
Comm stock
29.8333
2004-06-30
2014-06-30
Comm stock
4500
4500
D
Comm stock
32.615
2005-06-30
2015-06-29
Comm stock
4500
4500
D
Comm stock
35.37
2006-06-30
2016-06-29
Comm stock
4500
4500
D
Comm stock
30.10
2007-06-30
2017-06-30
Comm stock
4500
4500
D
Comm stock
18.30
2008-06-30
2018-06-30
Comm stock
4500
4500
D
Share total doesn't include 379.460 shares held in the dividend reinvestment program.
Outstanding options to acquire shares of stock pursuant to the Company's Directors Compensation Plans.
Patricia K. Loupe, Asst. Corp. Secretary of Whitney Holding Corporation and atty-in-fact
2009-07-01