O.E. ferian "to carry, transport," from P.Gmc. *farjanan, from PIE *por- "going, passage." Related to fare (v.). The n. is c.1425, perhaps earlier and from O.N. ferju- "passage across water," ult. from the same Gmc. root. The modern n. use (1590) is a shortening of ferry boat (c.1440).
"large flat-bottomed boat," 1780, from Du. schouw "a ferry boat, punt," from M.Du. scouwe, related to O.E. scaldan, O.S. scaldan "to push (a boat) from shore."