This paper examines the role of violence and local socioeconomic conditions in shaping migration in low-income societies. The analysis focuses on Corsica, a region characterized by substantial outward migration from the fifteenth century onward, particularly of soldiers and seamen employed across the Mediterranean.

Using a proto-population census conducted in 1769, we construct a proxy for migration based on imbalances in the sex ratio among young adults (“missing men”). These demographic data are combined with village-level information on land use and homicide records. After harmonizing historical communities into about 300 territorial units, the paper exploits regional variation in migration across the island. Bayesian Poisson models are used to explore how violence, demographic structure, and local economic conditions are associated with migration patterns. The analysis also considers proxies for human capital, including the number of clergy relative to the population and distance to monastic institutions.