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

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2006-01-09</periodOfReport>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000096879</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>TEKTRONIX INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>TEK</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0000939540</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>ALKER PAULINE LO</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>PO BOX 500</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>14200 SW KARL BRAUN DRIVE</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>BEAVERTON</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>OR</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>97077-0001</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>10885</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>by Managed Account</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Phantom Stock Units</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2006-01-09</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1309</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>1309</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>3443</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F5"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Non-Qualified Stock Option</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>17.25</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2001-09-21</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2011-09-21</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>7500</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>7500</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Non-Qualified Stock Option</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>16.98</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2002-09-27</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2012-09-27</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>7500</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>7500</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Non-Qualified Stock Option</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>25.01</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2003-09-26</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2013-09-26</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>10000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>10000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Non-Qualified Stock Option</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>32.82</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2004-09-24</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2014-09-24</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>10000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>10000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Non-Qualified Stock Option</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>25.35</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2005-09-23</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2015-09-23</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>10000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>10000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">All 2,129 shares of Indirect ownership previously reported  in Table I have been moved to Table II and identified as Phantom Stock Units.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Phantom Stock Units are convertible into common stock on a 1-for-1 basis.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Retainer received in Phantom Stock Units under the Tektronix, Inc. Stock Deferral Plan.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">Phantom Stock Units accrued under the Tektronix, Inc. Stock Deferral Plan are to be settled in Tektronix, Inc. Common Stock upon the reporting person's termination of services as a director.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F5">Includes 2,129 shares previously identified on Table I as shares handled by Managed Account, plus 5 shares acquired in unreported dividend reinvestment transactions.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>H. Paul Montgomery, Attorney-in-fact, for Pauline Lo Alker</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2006-01-11</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
[{"type": "4", "sequence": "1", "filename": "edgar.xml", "description": "PRIMARY DOCUMENT", "secsgml_size_bytes": 12646}]
X0202
4
2006-01-09
0000096879
TEKTRONIX INC
TEK
0000939540
ALKER PAULINE LO
PO BOX 500
14200 SW KARL BRAUN DRIVE
BEAVERTON
OR
97077-0001
1
0
0
0
Common Stock
10885
D
Common Stock
0
I
by Managed Account
Phantom Stock Units
2006-01-09
4
A
0
1309
0
A
Common
1309
3443
D
Non-Qualified Stock Option
17.25
2001-09-21
2011-09-21
Common Stock
7500
7500
D
Non-Qualified Stock Option
16.98
2002-09-27
2012-09-27
Common Stock
7500
7500
D
Non-Qualified Stock Option
25.01
2003-09-26
2013-09-26
Common Stock
10000
10000
D
Non-Qualified Stock Option
32.82
2004-09-24
2014-09-24
Common Stock
10000
10000
D
Non-Qualified Stock Option
25.35
2005-09-23
2015-09-23
Common Stock
10000
10000
D
All 2,129 shares of Indirect ownership previously reported  in Table I have been moved to Table II and identified as Phantom Stock Units.
Phantom Stock Units are convertible into common stock on a 1-for-1 basis.
Retainer received in Phantom Stock Units under the Tektronix, Inc. Stock Deferral Plan.
Phantom Stock Units accrued under the Tektronix, Inc. Stock Deferral Plan are to be settled in Tektronix, Inc. Common Stock upon the reporting person's termination of services as a director.
Includes 2,129 shares previously identified on Table I as shares handled by Managed Account, plus 5 shares acquired in unreported dividend reinvestment transactions.
H. Paul Montgomery, Attorney-in-fact, for Pauline Lo Alker
2006-01-11