4th house in astrology
The 4th house is the house of home and family: family, home, ancestry, your private foundation.
- Rules
- family, home, ancestry, your private foundation
- Type
- Angular house
- Natural sign
- Cancer, ruled by Moon
- Starts at
- IC (Imum Coeli)
- Opposite
- 10th house: vocation, reputation
Which sign is on your 4th house, and which planets sit in it?
Calculate my housesWhat the 4th house means
The 4th house starts at the IC, the lowest point of the chart, directly opposite the Midheaven. It is your private foundation: home, family of origin, ancestry, real estate and the emotional base you return to. Many astrologers link it to one parent and to the conditions at the end of life. Planets here point inward, toward roots and belonging.
An empty 4th house
With no planets in the 4th, read the IC sign for what home feels like, and the Moon for your emotional needs.
Planets in the 4th house
Sun in the 4th house
You shine and find purpose through family, home, ancestry, your private foundation.
Moon in the 4th house
You need emotional security in family, home, ancestry, your private foundation.
Mercury in the 4th house
Your mind gravitates to family, home, ancestry, your private foundation.
Venus in the 4th house
You find pleasure, beauty and easy relationships in family, home, ancestry, your private foundation.
Mars in the 4th house
You push hardest and compete over family, home, ancestry, your private foundation.
Jupiter in the 4th house
Luck, generosity and growth tend to arrive through family, home, ancestry, your private foundation.
Saturn in the 4th house
You face your toughest tests, and build lasting mastery, in family, home, ancestry, your private foundation.
4th house in each sign
The sign on the 4th house cusp sets the tone for this area of life. Your birth chart shows which one you have.
- 4th house in Aries
- You approach family, home, ancestry in a direct and brave way, and this area of life starts things fast and learns by doing.
- 4th house in Taurus
- You approach family, home, ancestry in a steady and sensual way, and this area of life builds slowly and trusts what it can touch.
- 4th house in Gemini
- You approach family, home, ancestry in a curious and quick way, and this area of life thinks out loud and connects ideas and people.
- 4th house in Cancer
- You approach family, home, ancestry in a protective and intuitive way, and this area of life reads the emotional weather and looks after its people.
- 4th house in Leo
- You approach family, home, ancestry in a warm and expressive way, and this area of life leads with heart and generosity.
- 4th house in Virgo
- You approach family, home, ancestry in a precise and helpful way, and this area of life improves things by noticing what others miss.
- 4th house in Libra
- You approach family, home, ancestry in a fair and charming way, and this area of life weighs both sides and seeks harmony.
- 4th house in Scorpio
- You approach family, home, ancestry in a intense and loyal way, and this area of life goes deep and wants the truth under the surface.
- 4th house in Sagittarius
- You approach family, home, ancestry in a optimistic and candid way, and this area of life looks for meaning and the bigger picture.
- 4th house in Capricorn
- You approach family, home, ancestry in a ambitious and disciplined way, and this area of life plays the long game and takes responsibility.
- 4th house in Aquarius
- You approach family, home, ancestry in a original and principled way, and this area of life questions the rules and thinks about the group.
- 4th house in Pisces
- You approach family, home, ancestry in a imaginative and empathic way, and this area of life feels its way through and absorbs the mood around it.
Questions people ask
What does the 4th house represent in astrology?
The 4th house, the house of home and family, rules family, home, ancestry, your private foundation. It is an angular house, naturally associated with Cancer and its ruler Moon.
How do I find my 4th house sign?
You need your exact birth time and place. Enter them in the birth chart calculator; the sign on the 4th house cusp and any planets inside it are listed under Houses.
What if my 4th house is empty?
With no planets in the 4th, read the IC sign for what home feels like, and the Moon for your emotional needs.
Which planets are good in the 4th house?
No planet is simply good or bad in a house. Benefics (Venus, Jupiter) tend to make family easier; Saturn adds effort and long-term mastery; Mars adds drive and friction. The sign and aspects matter as much as the planet.