Due to its high energy density, green and sustainable advantages, hydrogen energy is considered to be the ideal energy for human society. The abundant seawater resources make seawater electrolysis for hydrogen production become the strategic direction of hydrogen energy industry in the future. The activity and stability of cathode hydrogen evolution catalyst are very important for the development of hydrogen production from seawater electrolysis. The precious metal Pt-based electrocatalyst have excellent catalytic performance for hydrogen evolution, the high price and limited resources limit its large-scale application. In recent years, a large number of researchers have introduced other non-noble metals or non-metallic atoms into the non-noble metals to adjust the d-band center and the free energy of hydrogen adsorption, to improve the catalytic activity for cathode hydrogen evolution reaction. The research progress on non-noble metal phosphides, nitrides, oxides/hydroxides, carbides, chalcogenides, non-noble metal single atom, alloys and hybrid catalysts as cathodic catalysts for seawater electrolysis was reviewed. Finally, large-scale seawater electrolysis for hydrogen production in the future was discussed. Combine electronic engineering, defects engineering, interface engineering and nano structure strategy for modulating electron structure, increasing active sites, enhancing the electrocatalytic activity and stability with advanced in situ characterization techniques and theoretical calculation for delving into the HER reaction mechanism and corrosion resistance mechanism in seawater, develop high-efficient, stable and easy non-noble metal catalysts for promoting hydrogen generation by seawater electrocatalysis.