Aquarius marriage: Which signs are Aquarians most likely to marry? Are there signs Aquarians avoid marrying? Do Aquarians divorce people of certain signs more often than others? Which sign is the best match for Aquarius?
Astrologers believe that Aquarians tend to be more compatible with other air signs (Libra, Gemini, and other Aquarians) and with two of the fire signs (Aries and Sagittarius), but do marriage and divorce statistics support these beliefs? There have been four large-scale studies conducted in Switzerland, Sweden, France, and the UK by researchers who sought to answer these questions.
Studies of Aquarius Marriage and Divorce Rates with Other Signs
Gunter Sachs (1998) hired a team of statisticians to analyze marriage and divorce statistics for nearly one million people in Switzerland. He found that Aquarius men were slightly more likely to marry Aquarius women and slightly less likely to marry Tauruses and Scorpios. These were the only findings that were statistically significant (in other words, the differences were too big to attribute to random chance). He also found that Aquarius men in Switzerland part ways more frequently than average with Gemini and Cancer women and were less likely to divorce Aries and Leo women.
Marriages with Aquarius men, in descending order of frequency, were as follows (most differences in marriage rates were small; statistically significant differences are marked with an *):
- Aquarius*
- Leo
- Gemini
- Virgo
- Capricorn
- Pisces
- Sagittarius
- Aries
- Libra
- Cancer
- Scorpio*
- Taurus*
Sachs also found that Aquarius women married Aquarius men most often and had a below-average marriage rate with Leos. There were no statistically significant findings for any other Aquarius sun-sign pairings. As for divorce, Aquarius women were less likely to divorce Sagittarians than those of any other sign (there were no statistically significant findings regarding the signs Aquarius women were most likely to divorce). Aquarius women’s marriage rates with the 12 sun signs (from most to least frequent) were as follows:
- Aquarius*
- Pisces
- Cancer
- Capricorn
- Sagittarius
- Scorpio
- Gemini
- Libra
- Taurus
- Aries
- Virgo
- Leo*
Most of these findings align with traditional ideas about astrological compatibility because Aquarians are expected to get along well with those of their own sign and to clash with other fixed signs (Taurus, Leo, and Scorpio).
Two Aquarians are more likely to have similar attitudes toward life and to share beliefs or interests and lifestyle preferences, whereas those of other fixed signs tend to be very different. For example, Aquarians are easily bored and often seek change, and they are sometimes impractical, whereas Tauruses are naturally pragmatic and thrive on stability.
Aquarius and Leo are also thought to be a difficult match because Aquarians tend to treat everyone equally and to be more intellectually oriented than passionate, while Leos want to feel special and receive a lot of attention. A typical Leo craves grand romance whereas a typical Aquarius wants intellectual stimulation (though this can be a better match if these two have more compatible rising signs or moon signs).
Aquarius and Scorpio can be an equally challenging match because Aquarians need a lot of freedom to pursue their own interests while Scorpios tend to be jealous or become anxious when they don’t feel secure in their relationships.
The lower-than-average divorce rate for Aquarius men and Aries women is also an expected finding. These signs both love novelty and excitement and tend to be forthright to the point of bluntness rather than secretive, so they are often compatible.
The slightly above-average divorce rate between Aquarius men and Cancer women would be predicted by traditional astrologers as well. Cancers thrive on sympathy and security whereas Aquarians tend to think about things rather than feel them. As a result, many Aquarius are out of touch with their feelings, and they can be emotionally oblivious at times. Aquarians may find Cancers overly sensitive or needy while Cancers find Aquarians too emotionally detached and unsympathetic.
Sagittarius, on the other hand, is expected to be very compatible with Aquarius, so the lower-than-average divorce rate for Aquarius women and Sagittarian men is unsurprising. These two both hate routine and tend to be open-minded and adventurous.
The only real surprises in the Sachs study findings are the slightly higher-than-average divorce rate for Aquarius men and Gemini women, and the below-average divorce rate for Aquarius men and Leo women. Aquarius and Gemini, both air signs, are considered a compatible and intellectually stimulating match. However, both are prone to restlessness, so perhaps boredom and a desire to seek new experiences ends some of these relationships. Aquarius men and Leo women, on the other hand, might have above-average staying power because although they may clash sometimes, the way they clash gives the relationship a bit of an edge that keeps things interesting.
Didier Castille (2000) conducted a similar study of marriage statistics in France that included six million marriages, which took place between 1976 and 1997, though he did not look at divorce statistics. Like Sachs, he found that Aquarius men were most likely to marry Aquarius women. However, in France, they were less likely than average to marry Leos and Virgos. As with the Sachs study, most of the differences in marriage rates were small. Marriages with Aquarius men (in descending order of frequency) were as follows:
- Aquarius*
- Taurus
- Cancer
- Pisces
- Sagittarius
- Capricorn
- Gemini
- Aries
- Libra
- Scorpio
- Leo*
- Virgo*
Castille also found that Aquarius women were most likely to marry Aquarius men in France, though there were no significant findings for any other Aquarius sun sign pairing. Marriages from most to least frequent with Aquarius women were as follows:
- Aquarius*
- Capricorn
- Sagittarius
- Cancer
- Leo
- Aries
- Pisces
- Gemini
- Taurus
- Libra
- Virgo
- Scorpio
Castille’s findings also accord with beliefs about astrological compatibility, as two Aquarians should be very compatible, whereas Leo and Virgo are considered challenging matches for Aquarius.
Aquarians can be too erratic, extroverted, or impractical for Virgos. Moreover, typical Virgos reduce their anxiety by adhering to healthy routines, which will usually annoy Aquarians because they like to mix things up. These two will often irritate each other because they tend to have incompatible lifestyle preferences, though this can actually be a positive and intellectually stimulating match if other elements in their natal zodiacs (for example, rising and moon signs) are more compatible.
Another astrological compatibility study was conducted by Helgertz and Scott (2020). This research was undertaken as a longitudinal study encompassing more than 66,000 marriages in Sweden, spanning 1968-2001. In addition to gathering marriage statistics for all the sun signs, the authors looked at divorce statistics for various astrological pairings as they believed that divorces could provide a better sense of compatibility (or lack thereof). While they did find some statistical differences in the likelihood of marriage and divorce for certain sun sign pairings, these differences did not always align with astrological predictions. For example, Aquarian index individuals had the highest marriage rates with the compatible sign of Aries and the supposedly incompatible signs Virgo and Taurus. Based on this, the authors rejected the possibility that people in Sweden are more likely to marry based on sun sign compatibility.
When they looked at divorce statistics, one of their research models showed a slight trend toward lower divorce rates among the most astrologically compatible pairs, but the divorce rate was also lower for the least compatible pairs, while moderately compatible pairs divorced at a higher rate. Overall, the sun sign differences were small and sometimes inconsistent with astrological predictions, and other factors were more predictive of divorce, such as previous history of divorce, having children under the age of 18 at home, and education level.
Another study worth noting is that of Voas (2001), who examined Census data in the UK and Wales spanning around 10 million marriages. He did not find significant differences in marriage likelihood based on sun signs.
So, why did other studies find differences in marriage rates by sun sign while the Voas study did not? And why did Helgertz and Scott find seemingly random differences that don’t accord with astrological predictions while most of the differences found by Sachs and Castille align with astrological beliefs about compatibility? There are a few possibilities.
Astrologers would argue that you need to take more than sun signs into account – you would have to look at both partners’ rising signs, moon signs, and other astrological placements to get a true measure of compatibility. On the other hand, those who don’t believe in astrology would argue that the methodologies of the first two studies were flawed. It’s also possible that in places where many people believe in astrology, they selectively choose people with compatible sun signs more often. In other words, they create a self-fulfilling prophesy for astrology by choosing people with compatible signs or staying with those they believe should be more compatible.
Which Sign Is the Best Match for Aquarius Marriage?
Based on traditional astrological ideas about compatibility, Aquarius should pair best with Aries, Gemini, Libra, Sagittarius, and Aquarius. Based on the Sachs and Castille studies, Aquarians are most compatible with other Aquarians, though Sagittarius and Aries are also more likely to be good matches. However, you shouldn’t assume that your relationship is doomed if you’re paired with a less compatible sign.
Plenty of marriages between signs that are supposedly incompatible have lasted. Matching signs with different outlooks on life may result in more interesting relationships, as the two people can broaden each other’s horizons by introducing each other to new ideas and activities. As with any relationship, open-mindedness and a willingness to compromise on some issues will usually be the keys to success.
Other Astrological Influences on Compatibility for Aquarius
Most people know their sun signs, but there are other astrological placements that shape personality and affect compatibility. If you’re not a typical Aquarius, you may have a rising sign such as Virgo or Capricorn that creates a different sort of personality mix. The sun sign indicates core personality features, but your outer personality (the mask you wear for the world) is more reflective of your rising sign. Also, having the moon in a sensitive sign such as Cancer or Pisces can give an Aquarian greater empathy because the moon sign indicates a person’s emotional orientation and they way they are likely to behave under stress.
If you want to learn more about your astrological personality, you need to learn your zodiac placements (where all the planets were positioned at the time of your birth). You can do this by visiting a site such as Astro.com that can calculate an astrology chart for you when you provide birth details including date, time, and place of birth. The astrological chart will tell you your rising sign and moon sign, as well as your signs for other important planets such as Mercury (your communication style), Venus (your approach to love and friendship), and Mars (your sexual and competitive instincts).
Note: If you do not have your birth time, you cannot find your rising sign because this is based on the moment of birth, but you can still discover your other planetary signs.
More About Aquarius
More About Astrology
Read about other sun signs: Aries * Taurus * Gemini * Cancer * Leo * Virgo * Libra * Scorpio * Sagittarius * Capricorn * Pisces
Read about moon signs: Aries Moon * Taurus Moon * Gemini Moon * Cancer Moon * Leo Moon * Virgo Moon * Libra Moon * Scorpio Moon * Sagittarius Moon * Capricorn Moon * Aquarius Moon * Pisces Moon
Learn more about astrology: Astrology FAQ
References:
- Bugler, C. (Ed.) (1992). The Complete Handbook of Astrology. Marshall Cavendish Ltd., Montreal, 1992.
- Castille, D. (2000). Sunny Day for a Wedding. Les Cahiers du RAMS.
- Helgertz, J., & Scott, K. (2020). The validity of astrological predictions on marriage and divorce: a longitudinal analysis of Swedish register data. Genus, 76(1), 1-18.
- Sachs, G. (1998). The Astrology File: Scientific Proof of the Link Between Star Signs and Human Behavior. Orion Books Ltd., London.
- Voas, D. (2007). Ten Million Marriages: A Test of Astrological ‘Love Signs’. Cathie Marsh Centre for Census and Survey Research.
Woolfolk, J.M. (2001). The Only Astrology Book You’ll Ever Need. Madison Books, Lanham, MD.
Groom And Bride Standing On Sea Beach Beside Old Classic Bicycle image courtesy of khunaspix, www.freedigitalphotos.net.