<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0101</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-07-14</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000096879</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>TEKTRONIX INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>TEK</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001214421</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>GAFFNEY BARBARA L</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>0</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>Vice President</officerTitle></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-07-14</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>5</transactionFormType><transactionCode>I</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved><footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>670</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>15.6485</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>670</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Shares acquired under the Tektronix Employee Stock Purchase Plan, exempt from Section 16 reporting.</footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>H. Paul Montgomery, Attorney-in-fact, for Barbara L. Gaffney</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-07-15</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>
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X0101
4
2003-07-14
0000096879
TEKTRONIX INC
TEK
0001214421
GAFFNEY BARBARA L
0
1
0
0
Vice President
Common Stock
2003-07-14
5
I
0
670
15.6485
A
670
D
Shares acquired under the Tektronix Employee Stock Purchase Plan, exempt from Section 16 reporting.
H. Paul Montgomery, Attorney-in-fact, for Barbara L. Gaffney
2003-07-15