This article examines the migration of families from Ceará to Piauí and the internal displacement of Piauí residents among population centers during the second half of the 19th century, with an emphasis on women’s protagonism in these processes. The research highlights the family composition of migrants, the survival strategies adopted by women, and their leadership in displaced groups. Sources such as official correspondence, minutes, and codices from the Public Relief Commissions of Piauí, government reports, and contemporary news articles were utilized. The findings reveal that women, often heads of households, played central roles in guiding and sustaining their groups, reshaping social dynamics in crisis contexts.