To review the studies on foreign stone masonry buildings' seismic performance, 205 papers related to these studies were selected from Web of Science Core Collection and then analyzed by CiteSpace. These studies were then reviewed with a summary of the results drawn from the experimental research, numerical simulations, and seismic reinforcement. The results of the numerical model's blind prediction were presented, and statistical analysis was performed on 123 test data sets supplied in the reference. The findings demonstrate that the process of seismic research on foreign stone masonry buildings can be divided into three stages:initiation, ascent, and development. The test results cannot be accurately predicted by either the numerical model or the current load-bearing capacity formula. Thus, the reliability of mechanical models needs to be improved through experimental datasets, and the uncertainties of materials and models in numerical simulations require being resolved. The construction measures to improve the overall integrity of stone masonry residential buildings are attractive reinforcement approaches, but the reinforcement mechanism and quantification still need further research. Lastly, some further recommendations are given for the seismic study of stone-masonry structures, such as utilizing experimental databases, addressing model uncertainty, and creating reinforcing plans. © 2024 Southeast University. All rights reserved.