This paper surveys about 350 publications related to the finite element models of moderately thick shells, concentrating on those related to consistent displacement and stress/mixed/hybrid models. A geographic-chronological criterion has been used in order to review the main ideas and their development in time. The survey is complete enough to show the trends. The ideas of such a list is to help readers who are interested in special problems of the applications of the finite element method in the analysis of moderately thick shells.