-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
Originator-Key-Asymmetric:
 MFgwCgYEVQgBAQICAf8DSgAwRwJAW2sNKK9AVtBzYZmr6aGjlWyK3XmZv3dTINen
 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 BGhFSlShVuU4CLoi2ie8VZ/cOHOb9KC6GWoMVRhWhCpTtLkteDYbqB2OW0KfJRGb
 QbzSS9yTIlM1/hkAFRSvdA==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001220204-03-000004.txt : 20031222
<SEC-HEADER>0001220204-03-000004.hdr.sgml : 20031222
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20031222171439
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001220204-03-000004
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20031219
FILED AS OF DATE:		20031222

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			HITCHCOCK KAREN R
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001220204

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-15495
		FILM NUMBER:		031068270

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		C/O CHARTER ONE FINANCIAL INC
		STREET 2:		1215 SUPERIOR AVENUE
		CITY:			CLEVELAND
		STATE:			OH
		ZIP:			44114
		BUSINESS PHONE:		2165665300

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			CHARTER ONE FINANCIAL INC
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000819692
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	NATIONAL COMMERCIAL BANKS [6021]
		IRS NUMBER:				341567092
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		1215 SUPERIOR AVE
		CITY:			CLEVELAND
		STATE:			OH
		ZIP:			44114
		BUSINESS PHONE:		2165665300

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		1215 SUPERIOR AVENUE
		STREET 2:		1215 SUPERIOR AVENUE
		CITY:			CLEVELAND
		STATE:			OH
		ZIP:			44114
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>c0001220204d20031222f4f.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<ownershipDocument><schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-12-19</periodOfReport><notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16><issuer><issuerCik>0000819692</issuerCik><issuerName>CHARTER ONE FINANCIAL INC</issuerName>        <issuerTradingSymbol>CF</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId><rptOwnerCik>0001220204</rptOwnerCik><rptOwnerName>HITCHCOCK KAREN R</rptOwnerName></reportingOwnerId><reportingOwnerAddress><rptOwnerStreet1>1215 SUPERIOR AVENUE</rptOwnerStreet1><rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2><rptOwnerCity>CLEVELAND</rptOwnerCity><rptOwnerState>OH</rptOwnerState><rptOwnerZipCode>44114-</rptOwnerZipCode><rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription></reportingOwnerAddress><reportingOwnerRelationship><isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>0</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle></officerTitle><otherText></otherText></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeTa
ble><nonDerivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>3274</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeHolding></nonDerivativeTable><derivativeTable><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Phantom Stock Units</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>1</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>1988-08-08</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>1988-08-08</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>234.7597</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>234.7597</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postT
ransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Nonqualified   Stock Option</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>11.38</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>1997-12-18</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2006-12-18</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>5270</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>5270</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value
>Nonqualified   Stock Option</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>16.17</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>2001-01-19</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2010-01-19</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>8682</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>8682</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Nonqualified   Stock Option</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>17.41</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>1998-12-22</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2007-12-22</value></expirationDate
><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>8270</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>8270</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Nonqualified   Stock Option</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>23.09</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>2000-01-19</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2009-01-19</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>9116</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingT
ransaction><value>9116</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Nonqualified   Stock Option</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>24.01</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>2002-01-23</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2011-01-23</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>8269</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>8269</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></owner
shipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Nonqualified   Stock Option</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>25.33</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>2002-12-19</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2011-12-19</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>7875</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>7875</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Nonqualified   Stock Option</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>29.09</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>2003-12-18</value><
/exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2012-12-18</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><derivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Nonqualified   Stock Option</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>32.76</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-12-19</value></transactionDate><deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transacti
onAmounts><transactionShares><value>7500</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>0</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2003-12-19</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2013-12-19</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></derivativeTransaction></derivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">The option becomes exercisable at 1/3 of the total number of shares on the first, second and
 third anniversary dates of the grant.</footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>Robert J. Vana, Power of Attorney</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-12-22</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

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</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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