Kristiania emigration list assistance please

I have found most of one family of my ancestors on the Kristiania emigration lists but I cannot find the father. I believe he came to America earlier and then sent for his family. I found on 13 July 1883 Emma Kristiansen (or Christiansen) left with her 6 children and arrived in New York on 30 July 1883. It is possible that two others who are listed in the same family with Emma on the list are her mother Elisabeth Hansen and her sister Jenny Hansen. In the 1865 Norwegian census, I found Emma, her husband Gunerius and their newborn son Hans listed in the domicile of Elisabet Hansen in Bragernaes, Drammen. Listed with Elisabet are daughters Antonia and Katinka, but no Jenny. The ages for Antonia and Jenny, when compared from the separate listings appear to be the same year. I have not had much luck finding them on the 1875 census, as it appears that Drammen is not yet indexed. I have attempted to search back up to a couple of years on the emigration lists prior to Emma et al. departure, but have not been able to truly discover when Gunerius may have sailed. How long prior to his family could Gunerius have left? Was it common for the head of the household to leave for long periods of time before settling and then sending for his family? Are there any other recordings of Norwegian citizens emigrations other than these lists? Or is it possible he could be listed on a list from another area of Norway? The entire Christensen family ended up settling in Cheyenne, Wyoming with some of the daughters eventually marrying and winding up in Denver, Colorado. Any help in where to look for Gunerius would be appreciated.