Cancer marriage: Are Cancers more likely to marry certain signs than others? Are some signs more compatible with Cancer? Which sign is the best match for Cancer?
Astrologers believe that Cancers should be compatible with water signs (Pisces, Scorpio, and other Cancers) and two of the earth signs (Taurus and Virgo). As for Capricorn, there is some disagreement among astrologers as to whether the Cancer-Capricorn pairing is a good match.
Several large studies have been conducted in different nations over the past few decades to examine sun sign marriage rates (and in some cases divorce rates as well). The findings of these studies are summarized below
Studies of Cancer Marriage with Other Signs
Sachs (1998) conducted a large study using census data for nearly a million people in Switzerland. He didn’t find any statistically significant results (differences too large to be random chance) regarding the signs Cancer men married or divorced most often, but he did find a lower-than-average marriage rate with Aries women and a lower-than-average divorce rate with Cancer women.
The following is an overall ranking from most common to least common sun sign marriage pairings with Cancer men (* indicates that the result is statistically significant):
- Pisces
- Aquarius
- Gemini
- Virgo
- Scorpio
- Cancer
- Leo
- Taurus
- Sagittarius
- Capricorn
- Libra
- Aries*
The Sachs study also yielded no statistically significant results for which sign Cancer women were most likely to marry in Switzerland, but they had a higher-than-average divorce rate with Aquarius men and a lower-than-average divorce rate with Tauruses and Cancers.
The following is an overall ranking from most common to least common marriages with Cancer women in Switzerland (differences in marriage rates were small):
- Scorpio
- Leo
- Taurus
- Pisces (same marriage rate as Libra)
- Libra
- Cancer
- Virgo
- Sagittarius
- Gemini
- Aquarius
- Aries
- Capricorn
The findings of the Sachs study provide some support for traditional astrological predictions because Cancers are supposed to be compatible with Tauruses and other Cancers and to clash with Aries and Aquarians. The Aries-Cancer match can be challenging because Cancer finds Aries to insensitive, and Aquarians can make Cancers feel insecure if they seem to value personal freedom above commitment to a relationship (even when loyal to their partners, typical Aquarians require a lot of freedom to pursue their own interests).
Another researcher (Castille, 2000) completed a similar study using French census data encompassing six million marriages that took place between 1976 and 1997 (divorces were not included in this study). Although the differences in marriage rates were not huge, a few were large enough to be statistically significant.
Castille found that Cancer men most often married Cancer women and had a lower-than-average marriage rate with Libra women. Marriages with Cancer men in France (in descending order of frequency) were as follows:
- Cancer*
- Gemini
- Scorpio
- Leo
- Virgo
- Aquarius
- Pisces
- Sagittarius
- Capricorn (same marriage rate as Sagittarius)
- Aries
- Taurus
- Libra*
Castille found that Cancer women were more likely to marry Cancer men than men of any other sign, and that they also had an above-average marriage rate with Taurus men, whereas they were less likely to marry Pisces men. Marriage rates for Cancer women in descending order of frequency were as follows:
- Cancer*
- Taurus*
- Aquarius
- Capricorn
- Virgo
- Leo
- Sagittarius
- Gemini
- Aries
- Scorpio
- Libra
- Pisces*
It’s no surprise that two cancers, who are likely to have similar lifestyle preferences, are more likely to pair up in the long term. Taurus is also considered a good match for Cancer as both like to create a cozy home and place a high value on domestic life. These two signs share a love of fine food and drink and like to entertain, making things as comfortable and hospitable as possible for their guests. Moreover, both tend to be pragmatic and sensible unless other elements in their natal zodiacs (for example, rising signs or moon signs) incline them toward uncharacteristic recklessness.
The lower-than-average marriage rate between Cancer men and Libra women is also an expected finding, as these two signs may develop a problematic way of relating. Cancer usually wants to discuss feelings and resolve issues even if this requires some conflict while Libra will do anything to preserve the peace, avoiding or seeking escape from combustible situations.
The only real surprise in the Castille findings was the lower-than-average marriage rate between Cancer women and Pisces men. These two signs are thought to be compatible as both tend to be high in empathy and sensitive to each other’s needs. However, having two very sensitive people in a relationship may be problematic if both take offense and neither can forgive easily.
Another study of 66,000 marriages in Sweden from 1968 to 2001, conducted by Helgertz and Scott (2020), found differences in both marriage and divorce rates by sun signs. However, the findings were often at odds with astrological predictions, leading the authors to conclude that astrological sun sign compatibility does not influence marriage rates. In fact, the authors actually found a slightly higher rate of supposedly incompatible sun-sign marriage pairings overall.
Helgertz and Scott also looked at divorce rates using several different research models. One model did show a slightly higher divorce rate for astrologically incompatible couples, but the effect was so small the authors dismissed it as negligible. Another research model in which they subdivided pairings based on levels of compatibility indicated that divorce rates were lower for the most and least compatible pairs while those in the middle had higher divorce rates. Other models used in the study produced mixed results as well, and the overall pattern did not consistently support astrological predictions.
An additional study, conducted by Voas (2001) using UK census data for millions of individuals, did not find significant marriage rate differences based on sun signs.
What accounts for the different study findings? It’s possible that some of the researchers used problematic methodologies, so their conclusions were invalid. It’s also possible that people in certain nations fulfill the prophesies of astrology by choosing partners of the signs they believe will be most compatible. However, all the studies focused only on sun signs, so the compatibility of the couples’ rising signs, moon signs, and other natal zodiac placements was unknown.
Which Sign Is the Best Match for Cancer Marriage?
Based on the findings of the Sachs and Castille studies, the best sign for Cancer may be Cancer or Taurus. However, lots of marriages between Cancers and supposedly incompatible signs have taken place and lasted for a lifetime because sun signs are not the only astrological determinant of compatibility.
If you’d like to learn more about this, you can enter your birth data on a site such as Astro.com to calculate a full astrological chart. You’ll need to provide your birth date, time, and place to learn your ascendant (rising sign) and other planetary placements. If you don’t know your birth time, you can’t discover your ascendant, but you can still find your other planetary signs.
If you’re trying to determine how compatible you are with a romantic partner, in addition to the sun sign (core personality), you should look at both of your rising signs (the outer personality), Mercury (approach to communication), Venus (approach to friendship and love), and Mars (sexuality).
More About Cancer
More About Astrology
Read about other sun signs: Aries * Taurus * Gemini * Leo * Virgo * Libra * Scorpio * Sagittarius * Capricorn * Aquarius * 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.
Woman wearing engagement ring image courtesy of Surachai, www.freedigitalphotos.net.