This paper presents an improved nonlinear system identification scheme using di?erential evolution (DE), neural network (NN) and Levenberg Marquardt algorithm (LM). With a view to achieve better convergence of NN weights optimization during the training, the DE and LM are used in a combined framework to train the NN. We present the convergence analysis of the DE and demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed improved system identification algorithm by exploiting the combined DE and LM training of the NN and suitably implementing it together with other system identification methods, namely NN and DE+NN on a number of examples including a practical case study. The identification results obtained through a series of simulation studies of these methods on different nonlinear systems demonstrate that the proposed DE and LM trained NN approach to nonlinear system identification can yield better identification results in terms of time of convergence and less identification error. This paper presents an improved nonlinear system identification scheme using di? Erential evolution (DE), neural network (NN) and Levenberg Marquardt algorithm (LM). With a view to achieve better convergence of NN weights optimization during the training, the DE and LM are used in a combined framework to train the NN. We present the convergence analysis of the DE and demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed improved system identification algorithm by exploiting the combination DE and LM training of the NN and fitness implementing it together with other system identification methods, both NN and DE + NN on a number of examples including a practical case study. The identification results obtained through a series of simulation studies of these methods on different nonlinear systems demonstrate that the proposed DE and LM trained NN approach to nonlinear system identification can yield better identification results in terms of time of convergence and less identification error.