The word "balshaw" is a rare surname that originates from England. Its spelling can be explained through the use of IPA phonetic transcription. The first syllable, "bal," is pronounced as /bæl/ with the vowel sound being the short "a" sound, while the second syllable, "shaw," is pronounced as /ʃɔː/ with the vowel sound being the long "o" sound. Therefore, the correct pronunciation of the surname "balshaw" is /ˈbæl.ʃɔː/.