The 11th House

What the 11th house means

Your birth chart is divided into twelve houses, each one an area of life. The 11th house sits just below the 10th, which covers career, and turns the focus from personal achievement to what you share with a wider circle. Its subject is belonging: the friends you choose, the groups you join and the causes you care about.

In traditional astrology the 11th house is linked with Aquarius and its rulers Saturn and Uranus, which is why it is associated with friendship, ideals and the future. It is a succedent house, one that follows an angle and builds on what the angle begins, so its themes tend to grow over time.

Friends, groups and social circles

The 11th house is the house of friendship, as opposed to family, which belongs to the 4th, or romance, which belongs to the 5th and 7th. It describes the friends you choose, the clubs, teams and online communities you take part in and how you behave as one of a group rather than as an individual.

Astrologers read the sign on the 11th house cusp, any planets inside it and the planet that rules that sign together. A Gemini cusp suggests you collect friends from many places and enjoy chatting, while a Cancer cusp suggests a small, close, family-like circle. Neither says who you will meet; both show what you look for in your people.

Hopes, wishes and long-term goals

Traditionally the 11th house is the house of hopes and wishes. It describes what you want your future to look like, and the dreams you share with others, such as the causes you support and the plans you make with friends.

The 10th house is the career you pursue; the 11th is the larger vision behind it, what you hope your efforts will lead to. Many astrologers also link it to the benefits that come through other people, such as support, introductions and shared opportunities.

Causes, networks and the wider world

Beyond close friends, the 11th house covers networks, associations, communities of interest and groups working toward a shared aim, from volunteer work to online movements. It shows how comfortable you are in a crowd and whether you tend to lead, join or stand apart.

It also has a humanitarian side. People with a strong 11th house often care about society as a whole and want to improve the world in some way, however small.

Planets in the 11th house

• ☉︎Sun in the 11th house

  Friends and community are central to your sense of identity. You shine as part of a group and often find your purpose in a shared cause.

  Read Sun in the 11th house

• ☽︎Moon in the 11th house

  You need friends who feel like family and take group moods to heart. Belonging gives you emotional security.

  Read Moon in the 11th house

• ☿︎Mercury in the 11th house

  You think and talk best among friends and in groups. You may have a large network and enjoy sharing ideas with like-minded people.

  Read Mercury in the 11th house

• ♀︎Venus in the 11th house

  You make friends easily and are popular and warm. Friendship, social life and shared interests bring you great pleasure.

  Read Venus in the 11th house

• ♂︎Mars in the 11th house

  You are energetic and active in groups and may take the lead in a cause. The lesson is to cooperate without arguing over who is in charge.

  Read Mars in the 11th house

• ♃︎Jupiter in the 11th house

  Friends and networks bring luck, support and opportunity. You are generous with your community and often have a wide circle.

  Read Jupiter in the 11th house

• ♄︎Saturn in the 11th house

  You may have few friends but loyal ones, and you take friendship seriously. Trust in groups can come slowly, and bonds grow lasting.

  Read Saturn in the 11th house

• ♅︎Uranus in the 11th house

  At home here, this placement brings unusual friends and a love of independent thinking. You value freedom in friendship and may have a nonconformist streak.

  Read Uranus in the 11th house

• ♆︎Neptune in the 11th house

  You are idealistic about friendship and community and drawn to compassionate causes. Be sure the people you trust deserve it.

  Read Neptune in the 11th house

• ♇︎Pluto in the 11th house

  Your friendships and group involvements are intense and can transform you. Questions of power and loyalty in groups often come up.

  Read Pluto in the 11th house

Each sign on the 11th house

The sign your 11th house begins in colors how you meet this part of life.

♈︎Aries 11th house

You are drawn to bold, independent friends and like to start things in a group. You prefer to lead a cause than follow one.

♉︎Taurus 11th house

You build loyal, long-term friendships and prefer a steady circle. Shared meals and comfortable company matter.

♊︎Gemini 11th house

You collect friends from everywhere and love lively conversation. Your social circle is varied and ever growing.

♋︎Cancer 11th house

You want friends who feel like family and keep a small, close circle. Loyalty and care come first.

♌︎Leo 11th house

You are a warm, generous friend and enjoy being at the center of a group. Your hopes are big and bright.

♍︎Virgo 11th house

You show friendship through practical help and reliability. You prefer smaller groups and useful causes.

♎︎Libra 11th house

You are social, charming and drawn to harmony in groups. You value friends who share your sense of fairness.

♏︎Scorpio 11th house

You choose friends carefully and want loyalty and depth. Your circle is small but your bonds are strong.

♐︎Sagittarius 11th house

You make friends across cultures and love people who share your curiosity. Honest, adventurous companions suit you.

♑︎Capricorn 11th house

You value dependable friends and may join groups with a clear purpose. Friendships deepen slowly with time.

♒︎Aquarius 11th house

At home here, you are a natural friend to many and value independence and original thinking. Causes and communities energize you.

♓︎Pisces 11th house

You are a compassionate friend who gives freely and attracts sensitive, creative people. Choosing wisely who you give to is the lesson.

An empty 11th house

Most charts have several houses with no planets in them, and an empty 11th house is very common. It does not mean you will be lonely or that friendship is unimportant to you. It means the theme is read through the sign on the cusp and the position of its ruling planet instead.

For example, with a Libra cusp and Venus in your 7th house, friendship and partnership may overlap, with close friends who feel like family. A planet passing through your 11th house later in life can also bring friends and group life into focus for a time.

Questions about the 11th house