Members of both the Cazeau and Casault families were participants in the systematic migration west in North America as well as the massive migration to the United States that took place toward the end of the 19th century. In general, these migrations were a response to economic conditions and greater opportunity. However, we estimate that at least one family, and perhaps two, fled to the United States for political reasons.

We have mentioned the attraction of the larger cities to the people in the smaller, countryside communities. Those from Chateau-Richer and Montmagny were first drawn to Quebec in the span of years from 1764 to 1804. We can identify a similar migration to Montreal after 1880. But, surprisingly, we can also start to see movements from the cities back to the countryside. For example, we note that Jean-Baptist Cazeau moved from Quebec City to St.Jean, Island of Orleans, and Clement Cazeau, also of Quebec City, moved to St.Pierre of South-River.

Some members of the Cazeau/Casault families traveled widely, even though it was during times when communication and transport were limited. Take, for example, the case of Father Prudent Cazeau, who, on the day of his ordination in 1845, embarked on a long journey to a mission in distant Oregon. Leaving St.Pierre, he took a train to Quebec City, then Montreal, and then connected to New York City. After observing how noisy New York City was, he boarded a ship that took him down the East Coast to Panama where he left the ship to cross the isthmus to the Pacific (the Panama Canal was not yet built). Here, he boarded another ship which sailed to Acapulco and thence northward to Portland, Oregon. A long trek indeed. Closer to us, we find early scrapbook collections of letters describing the conditions of travel for members of the Casault family on trips to Toronto.

According to documents about immigration to the U.S., it is likely that an exodus of Cazeau/Casault family members followed the abortive Rebellion of Patriots. We would gather that Charles Cazeau, the manufacturer of bullets for the rebellion, escaped from Quebec City and made his way to Albany, New York, in 1838. A few years later, in 1840, our even more famous patriot, Jean-Baptist Casault, managed to reach Vermont. Some years later, Firmin Cazeau left St.Pierre of South-River for Illinois in the U.S. He and his family made long journeys into St. Louis, Missouri, and St. Paul, Minnesota, where there were French-speaking enclaves. However, it was in Ohio that a strong Cazeau/Casault enclave was established and where today there are numerous descendants. Afterwards, most of the individuals who left to the U.S. were descendants of Jean-Baptiste Casault with chief settlements in New England. This resettlement transpired between 1860 and 1900. Descendants of those families now use the Casault and Cazeault spelling variants.

In Canada as well, one can see important family migrations. It is in the West that we find brothers Godefroy and Phillippe Casault, and Charles Casault inlisting with the Royal Mounted Police in 1885. In 1915, Jean-Louis Casault was in Edmonton, Alberta, pursuing his accounting career, and his descendants still live there. Later, about 1920, Ulric Casault obtained land in the Prairies in Falher, Alberta. The depression of the 1930s forced the family to return to Montreal for some time. Descendants of Ulric now reside in Alberta and British Columbia.

One of the most important hotbeds of family activity was Ottawa, Ontario, and this deserves special mention. After the closing down of the Parliament in Toronto, the three Casault brothers from Montmagny, François-Louis, Napoléon and Louis, moved to Ottawa, the new capital of Canada. Several Casaults of this city were employed at the heart of the federal public service during those times surrounding the 1867 Confederation.

Not only in the great population centers but in outlying districts, important immigration within the frontiers of Quebec was taking place. After 1900, several of the name Caseault and Cazeault became involved in the textile industry of St.Grégoire-de-Montmorency (today Beauport) and Granby. Members of the Casault family, as well, were installed at St.Jérome in the Laurentides and Cape Madeleine during the same period. In the preceding century, some were working at Rivière-du-Loup, an important railway center, and later at Rimouski.